Letter From The Founder:

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I have always been a deeply private person. For a long time, my community advocacy was something I did quietly, out of the spotlight. But there comes a tipping point where the challenges we face are simply too vast, and the stakes for our democracy are too high to remain on the sidelines.

The People First Project began as a passion project. A necessary response to a time when so many in our community are feeling entirely unseen and unheard. Our neighbors are struggling, feeling hopeless and fearful for the future of our country. So as a proud, educated Latina and a proud American, I refuse to sit by and watch the country I LoVe turn from a democracy into a dictatorship. 

My journey to community advocacy was forged in the fire of my own human experiences. In my early twenties, I was arrested and convicted of a crime I did not commit. I have always been transparent about this chapter of my life. (I encourage anyone to read the public transcripts of my case.) 

I served three and a half years in prison, and unexpectedly, it became the greatest education I could have ever received on how to truly advocate for my community. Living alongside such an incredibly diverse group of resilient women taught me how different people respond to struggle, and more importantly, how fundamentally alike we all are. I learned firsthand that when people like myself are given the right resources, education and genuine encouragement, there are absolutely no circumstances that are insurmountable.

Upon my release, I returned to school, rebuilt my life, and continued my advocacy work in private. Because of my past, I was content to stay in the background and focus on my family. But when I look at them, I know this is not the time for silence. In my own home, I see the beautiful, complex fabric of America that is a mixed status family. I am the wife of an Immigrant, the mother to two incredible children with special needs, the daughter and granddaughter of Combat Veterans and Braceros. A legacy of service to this country runs in my blood, So as a proud American when I look at the current administration, I fear for the values of this country I was once so proud of, while also fearing for the future for my family. 

The People First Project isn't about me, it is a collective community effort sharing the lessons of resilience our diverse, passionate team has learned in the most difficult circumstances. Together, across different ethnicities, political spectrums, and lived experiences, we work unpaid, tirelessly utilizing our voices and hard work to advocate for real, and lasting change, while honoring the sacrifices and successes that make up the "American Dream." We are dedicated to providing compassion, hope, and resources to the resilient, hardworking people of America who are the true backbone of this country, people who get off their ass everyday to fight for their "American Dream" regardless of their documentation status. -Clarissa Vela