From the beginning, Raíces recognized that to present Latin American culture faithfully, it would need to engage in ongoing research in the communities that brought these many and colorful cultural expressions to life. To that end, Raíces has developed an archive of dresses, instruments, artifacts, and research materials to support its programs. Equally important has been traveling to Spain, Latin America and the Caribbean to witness these manifestations firsthand, as well as learning about the cultural practitioners in Latino and Caribbean communities in the United States.

Raíces Co-Founder Michael Esposito first became interested in Latin American culture while studying in Mexico in 1979. Since then, he has researched these traditions, collecting music and conducting interviews. It was inevitable that his interest would go beyond Latin America and encompass the world, and most recently he has developed a World music map on Google Maps, which he frequently updates, with links to audio samples and videos.

Raíces Co-Founder Yolanda Alcorta has a passion for educating children, and her interests complement Michael’s very well as she has an impressive knowledge of Latin American folk dresses, developed in part by her exposure to the incredible textile tradition of her late mother Elvira Gaitán’s native Guatemala, and later by her studies in museum education. It was through Yolanda’s efforts that Raíces has developed the collection of folk dresses from Spain and many Latin American countries.