Founded in 1982 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, El Puente quickly became a sanctuary for young people seeking to find their voice, escape gang violence, and fight for justice. From the start, it took bold action, leading the 1986 PS 16 boycott to end segregation, halting a radioactive waste site (1988), and blocking a 55-story incinerator (1991). Environmental justice efforts like Espiritu Tierra Garden (1990) and the Green Light District (2011) ensured Williamsburg remained a place where residents could thrive.

Art and culture have been central to El Puente’s activism. Teatro El Puente (1987) used forum theater for public health education, while Los Muralistas (1990) turned Williamsburg into a vibrant expression of social justice. Annual traditions like the 3 Kings Show (since 1987) and WEPA Festival (since 2012) celebrate Latine and other communities of color’s heritage and cultural sustainability.

Education has been a pillar of El Puente’s mission. It founded El Puente Academy for Peace and Justice (1993), one of the first U.S. public high schools focused on social justice, and expanded with Beacon (1998) for early childhood development, Community Schools (2015), and Youth Ambassadors (2015), connecting young leaders with Puerto Rico’s self-determination movement.

El Puente’s influence extends beyond Brooklyn. It co-founded the U.S. resistance movement against the Navy’s bombing of Vieques (1999), built global youth coalitions through El Puente Scholars (2011), and tackled climate change in the Caribbean with the Latino Climate Action Network (2013). Art has remained a tool for justice, from CADRE (2009) to the award-winning No Control (2011) anti-gang violence campaign.

The organization has consistently responded to community needs. The Wellness Hub (2020) provided critical support during the COVID-19 pandemic, raising $400,000 for families. Nuestro Aire, Our Air (2019) fought for cleaner air and green spaces in Los Sures. In 2025, El Puente expanded its vision in Puerto Rico, acquiring a building in Río Piedras to create a climate refuge and a hub against gentrification.

Through decades of community-led action, El Puente remains an unwavering force for justice. From mobilizing thousands for the 2014 People’s Climate March to its continued advocacy for Puerto Rican political prisoners, the organization's legacy is one of relentless struggle and visionary leadership. Today, it continues to uplift the next generation, carrying forward the dream of its late founder, Luis Garden Acosta, whose passing in 2019 marked the end of an era—but not the movement he ignited.