Oaxaca Youth Empowerment

Hey there! I'm Alex Holderman. Back in 2009, I had the chance to visit Oaxaca with my high school Spanish teacher, Marilyn Horn. That trip was a turning point for me—I fell in love with Oaxaca and its people, and I formed deep connections with the kids and families at Centro de Esperanza Infantil, a local Oaxaca non-profit partner of OYE, Oaxaca Youth Empowerment.

Since then, I've been back to Oaxaca several times. Last year, I joined the OYE Board of Directors as Secretary, bringing my financial background to the table. OYE serves children and youth in Oaxaca, Mexico, to help ensure their full and continued access to education. With the partnership between OYE and Centro de Esperanza Infantil (CEI), students in the program receive academic tutoring, mental health counseling, access to a computer lab for homework, and they can attend various workshops. Lunch is also provided daily for any student and their family.

Recently, I've picked up running again. I've signed up for a 10k race in September and decided to use it as a fundraiser for OYE. My goal is to raise $10,000 to support a psychologist's salary at CEI. In 2024, the centers provided over 250 mental health counseling sessions, so every dollar counts.