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. Recently 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.

Last year we raised $5.6k through a "10k for $10k" fundraiser to help support a psychologists salary at CEI. The impact of the fundraiser helped provide an extra day of therapy services offered by the on staff psychologist. Thank you to everyone who donated! Your impact has helped children and teens access mental health services through CEI!

This year I am raising the stakes and running a half marathon in hopes to finally reach our $10k goal! Mental health continues to be an area that needs support! Please help me carry this cause across the finish line on October 11th!