Recent Updates
Let’s hear it for the girls! (Starting with Angie!)
When I think of perseverance, I think of Angie. When we first met her three years ago, she was shy and self-contained. In her words, "Before, I had a really closed-off view of the world. I was afraid." She joined the Institute, where she learned to better express...
You changed Abner’s life
A month ago, Abner showed up to his first-ever Hands Offering Hope event. His friend Ana—an Institute alum and leadership club leader in San Angel—invited him to attend the Winter Conference, and Abner said yes. This event that you funded and our student leaders made...
“I want to inspire more young people.” – Emilio
Emilio has a sweet smile and a quiet disposition. He's kind-hearted and soft-spoken, but he'll be the first to tell you that he has big plans for his future. "You don't need to be a boss to be a leader," he says. "The leader is the person who helps his team." And...
Meet Iliana, one of our incredible students
Iliana's birthday is August 10. For the past two years, she has celebrated her big day amidst a busy schedule of classes and activities at the Institute. And they have been some of her favorite birthdays ever. When reflecting on the past two summers, she said, "I...
A BIG Birthday Announcement
Hello friends! Today is my birthday (yay!) and I get to make a really huge announcement! Five years ago, a group of us saw the beauty and power in the youth of this incredible community in Mexico. We built a program to show these students their massive potential, then...
My experience in Mexico
I will never forget my first summer in Chiquilá—the summer we started the Institute. Unbeknownst to me, two of the girls in our Institute were bitter enemies. By the third week, the tension within our group was palpable, and hours before our theatrical performance the...
The sound of her laugh
When Alondra laughs, you can’t help but laugh along with her. She is a natural-born leader, a comedian, and an influencer among her peers. She is strong and smart, and she exudes joy. But like so many of our students, her journey has been complicated and hard. She,...
Meet Mikey
When I first met Mikey, he was shy and soft-spoken. His smile lit up the room, but he didn’t command attention like some of his friends in his Institute cohort. That first year, two summers ago, he worked tirelessly—building his confidence and leadership as he focused...