Give Us a Second Chance: Ban the Box on College Applications
Prior to my incarceration, I was oblivious to the collateral consequences a person faces upon their release from prison andRead More…
Read More…Lily Gonzalez
Lily Gonzalez was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, the daughter of a single, immigrant father. Lily strives to make her father’s dream of a family of college graduates come true. She is a product of LAUSD Schools and a graduate of South Gate High School. She is a recent cancer survivor and through some years of adversity has risen above all her recent challenges. Lily is a Homeboy Industries graduate and full-time student at California State University, Northridge. She has continued to live her life in South Los Angeles with her two children. She works to show her children that anything can be done with hard work, determination and perseverance even in the face of unimaginable challenges. Her daughter is in a Charter School and she is working to find the right Preschool program for her youngest child.
Posts by Lily:
From Prison to Graduation: I Earned it, But Could I Own it?
Sometimes it is hard to celebrate yourself. Maybe you feel like an imposter. A fake. Like you don’t deserve it.Read More…
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A Program like POPS Needs to be Expanded to Meet the Needs of Students with Incarcerated Parents.
Sharing my daughter’s experience as a student with incarcerated parents and the wrap around services provided at her school, ledRead More…
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Homeboy Youth take Water to Flint
Kinship. It’s the key. A core value. The heartbeat of the place. What we are taught and see every day.Read More…
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Parent Engagement Gone Wrong: Parents Beware, You Can Get A “Disruptive Parent” Accusation in LAUSD
Let me get this straight. I can be issued a letter by my child’s school labeling me as a “disruptiveRead More…
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Leaps of Faith
Sometimes a leap of faith is our only means of transportation. Sometimes we take those leaps ourselves, and we justRead More…
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Charter School in LA Teaches US How to Treat Children with Incarcerated Parents
“My mom is in Africa on an archeological dig, she’s looking for dinosaur bones.” “Where is your mom now Celeste,Read More…
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What Catholic School Was For My Dad, Charters Are For Me: A Key Choice
Growing up I always went to private schools; for the most part. When I would tell people that I wentRead More…
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Our Schools Look Like Prisons: LAUSD Schools Triggered my PTSD from Prison
This past semester, a service-learning requirement for one of my college classes gave me a glimpse at some of theRead More…
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Education Is a Mighty Weapon: Homeboy’s Homegirl Goes to USC and CSUN
Not too long ago, I was invited to speak to a class at USC. I was working at Homeboy Industries,Read More…
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