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El Maestro Cultural & Education Center on Southern Boulevard facing financial troubles

A cultural center and boxing gym that has become a second home to many South Bronx youth is facing financial troubles. Volunteers say the El Maestro Cultural & Education Center, located on Southern

News 12 Staff

May 7, 2014, 4:13 AM

Updated 3,881 days ago

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A cultural center and boxing gym that has become a second home to many South Bronx youth is facing financial troubles.
Volunteers say the El Maestro Cultural & Education Center, located on Southern Boulevard, is very backed up on rent. They are worried about the future of the facility because they have been kicked out of three other spaces already.
Owner Pedro Laspina, a former gang member, decided to turn his life around after doing jail time and opened the center to help others stay off the streets and work hard.
Laspina says this new location is his last hope to continue helping the community.