Owner of La Cheve Bakery & Brews, Napa
Founder of the La Cheve American Dream Scholarship for 10,000 Degrees Students
“Thinking back to how my parents left everything behind in Mexico to give us a better life in America, I knew that college was my only way out of being lower-income. I worked so hard to get A’s; but it wasn’t until I got my college acceptance letters yet rejected for scholarships that I knew what it meant to be undocumented. 10,000 Degrees helped me with scholarships and provided a mentor who believed in me. I used to think that my dream to open a business and provide scholarships to undocumented students was so far-fetched. But the day I figured out I could, I was crying. Just to know that with every meal or drink my customers buy, they are supporting students – there’s no question that‘s what I want to do, especially with organizations like 10,000 Degrees that have helped me so much.”