Todos enseñamos, todos aprendemos.
CCATE — Centro de Cultura, Arte, Trabajo y Educación — is a community center in Norristown, Pennsylvania, founded in 2011 by the Latinx families who run it today.
Two and a half minutes, in the words of the community itself: what CCATE is, who comes here, and why a talent that isn’t shared is a talent wasted.
“What is CCATE” · 2:31 · English and Spanish
Nuestra misiónOur mission and vision
CCATE’s mission is to ignite social transformation by developing the talents of and empowering the Latinx community through culture, art, career development, and education. As that mission has grown, our work has come to include health, science and technology, environmental care and participatory research.
Our vision is that, through the holistic development of the community, the dreams of the Latinx community can be achieved.
Cómo trabajamosHow CCATE works — dialogic education, in practice
“Todo el conocimiento del mundo, desde todos y para todos.”
All the knowledge of the world, from everyone and for everyone — the phrase the community chose to describe how CCATE works.
Everyone teaches, everyone learns
Our students include children and family members; our teachers include children and family members. A volunteer may teach a class on Tuesday and take one on Thursday.
Designed with the community
Classes are created from the interests and talents of families, students and faculty. Adult programs begin when parents say what they want to learn, teach or change.
No tuition, ever
CCATE does not require a financial contribution to participate. Families are invited to share their skills, talents and time; we ask for two volunteer hours a month.
Collective leadership
We affirm the value of each voice, from children to adults of all backgrounds, and foster leadership among community members so that the community’s voice is amplified.
MíranosSee CCATE for yourself
Films made at CCATE and about CCATE, by students, community members and our partners.
A minute in CCATE classes
1:04 · One ordinary afternoon, from the art room to the garden.
CCATE in one word
2:36 · Students, parents and volunteers answer with a single word. Made with Villanova University, 2025.
GSK IMPACT Award 2024
1:56 · The award film, produced when CCATE was named a 2024 GSK IMPACT Award recipient.
Impact100 Philadelphia, 2021
2:07 · Filmed when CCATE received the Impact100 Philadelphia grant — the community explaining its own work.
Nuestra historiaFifteen years, in short
One winter afternoon in 2006, a recently arrived father pointed at an abandoned building and told his two daughters that one day the community would found a cultural center there, so that as immigrants they could exist and achieve their dreams. Five years later the doors opened.
CCATE opens in Norristown with three programs: after-school, art and English.
Becomes a 21st Century Community Learning Center with the Norristown Area School District; the Participatory Research Circle presents its first work.
Receives the Ohtli Award — the highest recognition Mexico gives an organization abroad, and only the tenth in the world.
Buys its own building at 1246 W. Main Street and moves programs online during the pandemic.
Launches REVARTE, the community’s bilingual magazine.
Opens the CCATE Gallery — Norristown’s first dedicated art gallery.
Named a GSK IMPACT Award recipient; granted an LPFM permit for Radio REVARTE.
Receives the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification and the Penn Netter Center Faculty-Community Partnership Award.
Conoce másExplore CCATE
Ven a conocernosCome see us
Whether you want to enroll a child, teach a class, volunteer an afternoon or support the work — the door at 1246 W. Main Street is open Monday to Thursday, 4–7 pm.
¡Viva la comunidad!