Zacarías Joaquín Nicolás has already overcome the first challenge of graduating from high school and at 18 years old, the young man who received support from the Central City Neighborhood Partners (CCNP) program in MacArthur Park is heading to USC to study a career in economics.
The young man, son of a mother originally from Huehuetenango, Guatemala, whose native language is Q’anjobal Maya, who speaks little Spanish and understands English, values that he owes the opportunity he has in life to her.
“With me in her womb, my mother crossed to the United States and I was born in Georgia,” said the young student. “Then we moved to California, and by selling tamales she helped me so I could graduate.”
The student says he is proud of his mother and himself, because they are part of a humble and generous family that could inspire others to overcome barriers to achieve victory.
“Thanks to my mother I can pursue my dreams and when she smiles at what I have achieved, I am happy,” he said. “Now comes the most important challenge, and in four years you will see me graduate.”
Zacarías Joaquín and a hundred low-income students were part of the celebration of high school graduates served by the Community Investment Department for Families (CIFD), directed by Abigail Márquez, and the Youth Development Department (YDD), in charge from general manager, Lisa Salazar.
Many of the students were accepted to one of the 23 campuses of the California State University (CSU) system and the 10 schools of the University of California (UC): Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz.
“I am happy with my son; All parents support our children,” said Isabel Nicolas, Zacarías Joaquín’s mother. “We thank God for that door that is opening for them to continue with their dreams of going to university.”
Abigail Márquez, director of CIFD, considered that young people now have the opportunity to continue studying, be professionals and contribute to their communities.
“Through the city, our Department of Community Investment for Families, we provide services to help more students and guide them to apply for college,” Márquez said. “We want to expose them to the university environment in California and around the country, and explain the process so that they are more confident.”
Márquez specified that each of the 19 Family Source Centers (FSC/Family Resource Centers) in the city of Los Angeles receives funding of $1.5 million which, in addition to guidance for students to graduate from high school and pursue a university career , their families can receive financial assistance for food or rent payments.
Paying to get a college education
According to Abigail Márquez, the Los Angeles Community Investment for Families system helps 50,000 people annually.
“We are creating the workforce that is going to contribute even more to the Los Angeles economy,” said Abigail Márquez.
Indeed, the Association of Public and Chartered Universities (APLU) claims that the typical income of those with a bachelor’s degree earns $40,500 or 86% more than those whose highest degree is a high school diploma. College graduates earn an average of $1.2 million more over their lifetime.
Christopher Carmona, 16, is only in his third year of high school, but he graduated a year early and declared himself ready to study business at Cal Sate University Long Beach (CSULB).
“It was a long step in which I really didn’t know what was going to happen. I just knew I had the potential to do it, so I enrolled at El Nido Family Center in South Los Angeles,” she said.
At this center they have a program called Taller del Rincón Universitario (College Corner Workshop), where Christopher learned all aspects of college life and what to expect, how to enroll, apply for scholarships and financial aid, how to budget, write a resume and find a job or internship, as well as a financial education workshop.
“I love the city of Long Beach. It feels like a place where I can thrive and be myself,” she said of his higher education decision. “CSULB also has a fantastic business program; There I will be able to get an excellent education without accumulating too much debt.”
His father, Mario Antonio Cardona Santos, an immigrant from La Lima, Department of Cortes, Honduras expressed his pride in his son’s academic achievements.
“We have always instilled in our children that studying is good,” said Mario Antonio, who works in a jewelry store. “We will try to find extra jobs to help you with your studies.” His eldest son, William, studies psychology at the University of Berkeley.
Important tips for new university students
Lisa Salazar, general manager of the Los Angeles Youth Development Department (YDD), made numerous recommendations to students, including: attend college orientation activities because “they are important to get to know classmates, staff and administrators campus.
“They are there to support you,” he said.
Additionally, he suggested that if finances are a concern at any point, students should go to the university’s financial aid office, which may be able to reevaluate any aid awards based on the money still available.
Salazar advised young people to connect with career services offices during the summer to look for job opportunities related to their courses or that fit into their course calendar.
“Explore the free resources campuses have, such as mental health, financial planning, free textbooks and academic support,” she said. “If you attend a community college, speak in advance with a transfer center advisor to chart a course to transfer to a 4-year university without having to guess your way.”
He also recommended participating in Suumer Bridge programs at your university and searching for online resources by visiting: LACASHFORCOLLEGE.ORG.
“Stay committed and involved”: Eunisses Hernández
After congratulating the graduating high school students, with the support of the Youth Development Department (YDD) of the city of Los Angeles and the Community Investment for Families Department (CIFD), District 1 Councilwoman Eunisses Hernández invited them to stay engaged and involved in the community.
“You are taxpayers. The City of Los Angeles budget is made up of taxes. That means that it is necessary to be at the table to decide where the budget is allocated,” said the youngest city council official.
Hernández, 33, told La Opinión that, before assuming her position as mayor, on December 12, 2022, she wanted to be a lawyer, judge, police officer or engineer.
“It took me a few years to discover what I wanted to do, but what I finally recognized is that I wanted to help my town, my people, my community,” he said. “And I tell students to experiment until they can find the career that gives them joy every time they wake up.”
The councilor expressed that she saw in young Latinos the hope of great values, of what their vision for the future is like and how they want to see the world.
“That, to me, gives me a lot of hope that they are going to do the work that our generations could not do.”
“I recommend that you obtain all the tools you need to take positions of power with a better vision and not leave anyone behind,” he indicated. “They are young people of different races, from different communities to achieve many things.”
One of the things she would like to change for young people and for herself is that the programs that helped a hundred young people make their way to university are known by the almost 800,000 young people in Los Angeles.
“Yes, these programs [de CIFD y YDD] They are not well known by our community, but I will tell you one thing: we are not investing in our young people at the level we should,” he said.
“Last year in the budget we invested more than $6 million just to purchase uniforms for the LAPD, but we only invested $2.3 million of the same budget for the entire youth development department that must serve 800,000 youth,” he added. “We are not investing at the level that our young people deserve.”
Are the priorities perhaps different for your colleagues in the city council?
“When we look at the budget, it is supposed to be a document of our values, but what does it tell us when we invest more than three times more in uniforms for the police than for our young people?” responded Councilwoman Hernández.
For this reason, -he added- “I am fighting so that there is more investment and our young people have jobs, more educational opportunities, clean streets, with lights and that they can go to work, school and return safely to their homes.”
Currently, in Mayor Karen Bass’s $12.8 billion budget, a quarter – $3.2 billion – has been designated for the Police Department.
“Public safety is also that our cyclists do not get run over; So is investing in scholarships for our young people and in crime prevention programs,” he said.
“For this reason, our young people and families have to come to the table to say, I want you to invest my taxes in our communities…because right now our people are not at the table, they are only on the menu; “We talk about those marginalized communities, but they are not using their voices collectively to make change.”
FAMILYSOURCE CENTERS IN LOS ANGELES
All People’s Community Center – Southeast LA
822 E 20th St.
90011
(213) 747-6357
Barrio Action Youth & Family Center – Northeast Los Angeles
4927 Huntington Dr N #200
Los Angeles, CA 90032
(323) 221-0779
Central City Neighborhood Partners – Westlake
501 S Bixel St.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 482-8618
Central City Neighborhood Partners – Koreatown
3731 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 460
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 518-5284
The Friendship Center – Panorama City
14500 Roscoe Blvd., Floor 4
Panorama City, CA 91402
818-441-7127
The Help Center – Boyle Heights
2130 1st St., Suite 110
Los Angeles, CA 90033
(323) 526-9301
The Town Center – Echo Park
1824 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 483-6335
El Nido Family Centers – Pacoima
11243 Glenoaks Blvd.
Pacoima, CA 91331
(818) 896-7776
El Nido Family Center – South Los Angeles
2069 W. Slauson Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90047
(323) 998-0093
Koreatown Youth + Community Center – Wilshire
1230 Menlo Ave., Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90006
(213) 365-7400
Latino Resource Organization – North Hollywood/Sun Valley
6736 Laurel Canyon Blvd. #360
Los Angeles, CA 91606
(424) 293-8297
New Economics for Women – Canoga Park
21400 Saticoy St.
Canoga Park, CA 91304
(818) 887-3872
New Economics for Women – Van Nuys
6946 Van Nuys Blvd. #220
Van Nuys, CA 91405
(818) 786-4098
PF Bresee Foundation – Hollywood
184 Bimini Pl.
Los Angeles, CA 90004
(213) 387-2822
The Children’s Collective, Inc. – South Los Angeles
915 W. Manchester Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90044
(323) 789-4717
Toberman Neighborhood Center – Wilmington/San Pedro
131 N Grand Ave.
San Pedro, CA 90731
(310) 832-1145 ext. 106
Watts Labor Community Action Committee – Watts
1212 E. 108th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90059
(323) 357-6262
Watts Labor Community Action Committee – Southeast Los Angeles
5680 Avalon Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90003
(323) 923-1479
West Adams/Leimert Park – South Los Angeles
4305 Degnan Blvd., Suite 105
Los Angeles, CA 90008
(323) 991-5850