Our History

Somos, Inc. is a 501(c)3 charitable organization founded in 1987 by members and allies of the New York State Assembly Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force. During its inception Somos was initially named “Somos Uno” [We are One] but quickly evolved to “Somos El Futuro” [We are the Future]. Recently, the organization transitioned to simply “Somos Inc”, acknowledging that Hispanics are no longer the future, but the present.

With nearly 4 million Hispanics residing in New York State, representation, organization and discussion are imperative in order to ensure the needs of the Hispanic communities are met. The Somos, Inc. leadership consist of the Executive Director -Tania Capaz, and a Board of Directors comprised of a multifaceted spectrum of private citizens across New York State and currently chaired by the strategic stewardship of Francisco Diaz Jr. “who served as a Member in the NYS Assembly 68th District”.

Assemblywoman Karines Reyes currently chairs the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force and works hand-in-hand with Hispanic legislators to spearhead issues such as immigration reform, inadequate Census representation, and criminal justice reform. Together, Somos, Inc. and the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force collaborate to organize the largest gathering of Hispanic civic and political leaders in the Empire State.

The Somos, Inc. mission is to unite the Latino community and raise awareness by advocating and elevating social consciousness on public policy. We provide a platform to contribute to the positive and transformative improvements to the socio economic and civic status of Hispanic communities throughout the State. Our conferences integrate 8,000-10,000 participants annually who represent a cross section of the state’s Hispanic community, including federal, state, and local elected officials as well as community, labor and business leaders. Dialogue is shaped by workshops, seminars and student programs ultimately concluding with a legislative agenda focused on meeting the needs of Hispanic communities.

Somos, Inc. seeks partnerships with private corporations, educational institutions, and the philanthropic sector to continue to expand the overall work and reach of our organization. Collaborations with programs such as the Angelo Del Toro Puerto Rican/Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute, the Model New York State Senate Session Project and the Somos CUNY Summer Internship Program ensure the upward mobility of Latino youth through educational empowerment, mentoring programs and civic engagement.

As the Hispanic demographic in New York State and beyond consistently grows Somos, Inc facilitates discussion, participation and action. We will continue to advocate for empowerment, dialogue, solidarity, civic service, and cultural preservation for our communities.