Fearless Heroine, Jovita Gonzalez

Jovita has lived in the Pico Aliso community for over 28 years. She is and has always been a strong advocate for her community.

“I’ve been here since the beginning. It’s amazing to see how this community has changed, but there’s still a long way to go. The recent violence reminds me of the old days of living in the old projects when we would find our youth dead in the stairwells and hallways every day. It was a war zone. If I didn’t die it’s because God hasn’t wanted me too.”

And even after witnessing much tragedy Jovita simply states, “But I am not afraid. I have never been.”

“I’ve seen a lot of shootings in this community. Recently... Read More >>

Boyle Heights Through Monse's Eyes

Monserrat Conde age 16 on left with Jazz Jimenez age 17. Monse has been with program for 9 years and Jazz has been here for 10.

Monserrat Conde, or “Monse”, has been with the IMPACTO program since she was 7 years old. Now 16, Monse is one of the most committed students at the program. She is a great advocate and is a huge influence to the students at IMPACTO.

“She is here everyday after school and in the summer she is here from 9am to 7pm helping out staff,” affirms Velvet Holguin, Elementary Coordinator.

The community has experienced a surge in violence this year. “I’ve been in Boyle Heights all my life. I’ve noticed the violence but I am used it. It’s all I’ve ever known. I don’t worry about my safety; but I am at IMPACTO when I’m not at school, so I don’t feel a threat. I feel at home at IMPACTO,” she explains. Read More >>

Parents Build a Brighter Future for Boyle Heights.

Last summer 19 parents were trained to be parent ambassadors at Proyecto Pastoral’s Early Childhood Education Centers (serving children ages 18 months to 4 years old). The series of year long workshops served as leadership development and engaged parents to advocate for their children’s education. Parents attended workshops on topics such as letter writing, computer basics, and power point. “More than just providing parents with new tools, these workshops had parents apply their new skill set to concepts related to child development. These workshops provided parents with the information on who to speak with, where to go to for help, and why continuing to advocate for their children’s education is important,” states Martha Moreno, lead teacher at Centro de Alegria. “You can see significant changes in the parents who have participated in the training. They are more active and engaged!” ... Read More>>