Jacqueline Rodriguez, LIFT - Los Angeles

Growing up in a Guatemalan-American household taught me to take pride in my culture and to always strive for excellence. After college, I knew that I needed to pursue a career where I would be able to support my community by improving their personal,  social, and financial quality of life. Thanks to LIFT-Los Angeles, whose mission  is to empower families to break the cycle of poverty, I am able to be a part of a team whose sole goal is to connect our community members with quality resources and to support them with navigating the complex social service system. 

Santos De La Paz, City Year - Los Angeles

When I look into the eyes of the Latino students I serve, I see centuries of thriving cultures, I hear the joyful strum of the guitar, I smell the sweet scent of spices in the air, and I observe strength carrying stone atop stone constructing the temples of their life. I look upon a spectrum of copper skin and see the resilience required for the continuation of our uniqueness and stand awe-struck. Before there is the student, there is a person that feels, laughs, cries, thinks, eats, and expresses the inner sensibilities of a young mind finding its place in the world. 

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Gladis Romero, LIFT Los Angeles

I emerge from stories of migration, struggle, determination, and unconditional love. As the proud daughter of a tenderhearted Ecuadorian and a tenacious Salvadorian, I am infused with an unyielding pride in my vibrant roots and a passion for social justice. 

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By Julie Jimenez

Channels energy into helping others overcome poverty’s challenges

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By Ted Miller

Public Allies member’s story is similar to many Latinos striving for success

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