Centro Celeste Founder 'Changing Lives': Patch Community Leaders

WORCESTER, MA — Without community leaders, Worcester wouldn’t hum along nearly as smoothly as it does. We’d miss their contributions in big and small ways.

Patch has partnered with T-Mobile to recognize these often unsung community leaders and celebrate their contributions.

This submission comes from Via De Leon Bennett, a Worcester reader who nominated Nathalie Rivera-Castro.

How do you know this community leader?

Since Nathalie joined Workers Credit Union, I’ve had the pleasure of not only working alongside her but serving as her mentor at the credit union and advocating for Nathalie’s career growth.

What does this community leader do?

In addition to serving Greater Worcester through her job as an Executive Administrator at Workers Credit Union, Nathalie Rivera-Castro is the founder of 501(c)(3) nonprofit Centro Celeste where she listens to what the local Latin American community needs, and connects people to experts and resources who can help in a language that they can understand – such as affordable attorneys, trustworthy mortgage advisors and encouraging personal financial coaches.

Why do you believe the community leader should be recognized or honored?

Nathalie’s work through Centro Celeste is changing lives by providing pathways for her under-resourced neighbors. A passionate leader, Nathalie saw the lack of resources around her and committed to being the change. She began by listening to the public by holding open forums, engaging on social media, going out to local events, and asking what the community needed. Then she began to close the gap.

Since she founded the organization in 2021, Nathalie has helped nearly 2,000 people access Spanish resources. Her Facebook Group has about 1,000 active members, she has gathered more than 500 people to come together at events, and, since launching a member program, she has reached more than 150 people. In time, Nathalie hopes to set up a community center to host cultural events, hold workshops, and meet 1-on-1 with members. Currently, she’s also in the process of developing scholarships for people who want to advance their careers and work in real estate.

What's one thing you want everyone to know about the community hero?

Moving to a new place is a daunting task for everyone, but this is especially difficult if there are language barriers preventing you from accessing the help and resources you need. As a long-time resident of Fitchburg, Nathalie saw a need to care for her neighbors and willingly chose to invest her time, skills, and energy to making Fitchburg a better place for all residents. She is an example of the positive and tangible impact just one person can make in their neighborhood.

This content is brought to our community in partnership with T-Mobile. Know a community leader who deserves a shout-out? Nominate them here.