Sociedad de Puertorriqueños en Houston, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization established to bring forth creative, educational, and scientific projects as mandated by the IRS 501(3) code. Sociedad has been actively involved in the community while collaborating with the City of Houston, The Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Cámara de Comercio de Puerto Rico, The Port of Houston Authority, and the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration.

In May of 1997, a group of Puerto Rican women in Houston, Texas met at the house of Mr. and Mrs. Glenn and Ligia B. Haworth to discuss the formation of a community organization. At that time there was not an active group in town that was capable of gathering Puerto Ricans in Houston that wanted to get involved in promoting our culture through public and social events, providing financial assistance to Hispanic students, and participating in charitable projects.  We believe that empowering women to these tasks was going to make the difference from prior efforts by other organizations. The efforts of this group of women gave birth to the Sociedad de Damas de Puerto Rico en Houston founded on September 16, 1997 as a non-profit organization in the State of Texas.

The founder members: Ligia B. Haworth, Sandra Lebrón-Lozada, Evelyn López, and Felicia López in collaboration with Magda Maldonado, Patria Herrero, Elia Dávila, Millie Santiago-Wheeler, Maria Del Mar Landrau Mackey, Dr. Higinia Torres Rimbau, Dr. Mirta Benkert; Hedda McAlllister; and Ana Veloz took the charge in launching this organization that quickly reestablished the presence of the Puerto Rican community in Houston. This was done with the unconditional and instrumental assistance of Rafael Maldonado, Glenn Haworth, Luis Herrero, and Dr. Edgardo Colón among others.

In May of 2003, the organization changes the name to Sociedad de Puertorriqueños en Houston, Inc. in order to expand our membership. During this past ten years, the Sociedad (for short) have a long list of accomplishments in producing numerous cultural events such as: “Décima y Aguinaldos- Traditional Poetry, Music and Dances of the Puerto Rican Foklore, Añorando la Música de Salón de Puerto Rico, “Dos Mujeres en Diálogo: Julia de Burgos y Sylvia Rexach”, “Volemos Amigos: a Children Program” , “El Jardín de Doña Provi” by Antonio Martorell, “Fiesta del Día de los Tres Reyes”, “Fiesta en el Batey”, “Festival de Artesania Puertorriqueña”, “Cruzando Generaciones con el Cuatro Puertorriqueño”, “Encuentro con la Música Afro Puertorriqueña y el Festival El Bombazo”. “Encuentro con la Plena y el Festival El Plenazo”; “Pedro Guzman y su Jíbaro Jazz”; Presentation of the documentary  Yo soy Boricua Pa’ que tu lo sepas at The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, and “Festival Puertorriqueño en Houston: El Boricuazo”.  Many of these events have been sponsored in part through grants from the Cultural Arts Council of Houston and the Texas Commission of the Arts; and others in collaboration with the Institute of Culture of Puerto Rico ( Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña), and the Puerto Rican Municipalities from the towns of Ponce, Guayama, Caguas, and San Juan.

In addition, the Sociedad has granted approximately $20,000 in scholarships to students to help them pursue their college careers. Our charitable and humanitarian projects engaged our membership in supporting organizations such as EMMAUS Foundation, Battered Women’s Centers of Houston and Fort Bend County, Depelchin, Jessse H. Jones Rotary House, La Rosa Family Services, Santa Teresa Catholic Church, Down Syndrome Association of Houston, Roger House, Neighborhood Center- El Puente, among others.

Sociedad has been actively involved in the community while collaborating with the City of Houston, The Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Cámara de Comercio de Puerto Rico, The Port of Houston Authority, and the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration.

Today, Sociedad and its more than 200 members and collaborators through this past ten years are proud to celebrate our tenth anniversary; and reaffirm our commitment to continue our work to enhance the valuable presence and contributions of Puerto Ricans in Houston, Texas for generations to come.