Raised in South Central Los Angeles in a single parent, Mexican household along with her 6 siblings, Kathy knows first-hand how focus and determination is necessary to succeed academically. Despite the hardships of being a single mother and raising 7 children, Kathy’s mother chose to bus Kathy out of South Central so that she could attend a high school in a better resourced neighborhood in the name of a good education. Ultimately, her hard work paid off as Kathy became the first in her family to go to college. She attended UCLA and it was there that she realized the resources available in South Central were different from those in the schools she attended. Upon graduating, she decided that it was her responsibility to give back to the community to help alleviate the disturbing educational gap. She is now serving her second year with City Year, leading a team of first year corps members and acting as a tutor, mentor, and role model to students at risk of dropping out of high school.
