PUENTE has impacted multiple generations of Mirna's family. That impact started with her son and older daughter who attended PUENTE Preschool and are now successful adults, and it continues with her...

Born in Mexico and raised in Boyle Heights, Jose's journey to higher education was far from straightforward. As an undocumented, first-generation college student at California State University, Los...

Georgina always dreamed of being the first in her family to attend college, but she faced a significant challenge: there wasn't much information about college available at home.   Research has shown...

When Patricia was 16 years old, she got pregnant and dropped out of high school. She had always hoped to go back to school one day. But as the years went by, Patricia’s days revolved around her four...

For Nicole, PUENTE Learning Center’s free college program was a lifeline during the pandemic. A first-generation college student who was raised in a single-parent household, Nicole joined PUENTE’s...

In 2006, Grace was three and starting in the PUENTE Preschool Program. From the first day, “I felt right at home,” says Grace who grew up with a single parent in Boyle Heights. While mom worked to...

At the age of 9, Kimberly's life took a drastic turn when her parents, who were undocumented immigrants living in the United States, decided to move their family back to Mexico. Life was hard in...

Kristian first learned about PUENTE in 2017 when he was a junior at East College Prep High School in Lincoln Heights. As the first in his family to pursue a college education, he needed support....

Before he became PUENTE’s beloved Citizenship Prep instructor seven years ago, Andy Lippman had a longstanding career with The Associated Press. But it’s supporting PUENTE students that makes him...