Daily Inspiration: Meet Jesús Verduzco

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jesús Verduzco.

Hi Jesús, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Born and raised in the rural Central Valley, I’ve had the privilege of living and working in the cities of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Santa Cruz. I am a first-generation Mexican American whose parents were farmworkers at some point in their lives. They struggled to ensure that their family had more opportunities. In 2010, I graduated from El Diamante High School and enrolled at the local community college, College of the Sequoias (COS). I did not know what direction I was going in, but nonetheless, at COS, I encountered people who encouraged me to pursue my academic and entrepreneurial ambitions. When I was 19, my mother remained, and I felt more of an urgency to do something with my life. I recall a pivotal moment when I had a phone conversation with an older sister who lived in San Jose, California. During that conversation, they kept saying things like “I’ll waste my life in the Central Valley,” that I should “leave and finish college somewhere else,” and “there is nothing for me in Visalia.” As her words resonated with me more and more, I soon decided to move away from my hometown to pursue my dream of graduating from a four-year university. At age 19, I moved from my hometown of Visalia with $2,000 I saved from my job at Buffalo Wild Wings and a deposit on an apartment in Hilltop, Richmond, California. That is when it all started!

I transferred from Berkeley City College to San Francisco State University (SFSU) and completed a bachelor’s in Urban Studies and Planning. After graduating from SFSU in 2017 with my bachelor’s degree, I returned to my hometown in Tulare County, California. I worked as an educator and in immigrants’ rights while preparing to enter graduate school at the University of California, Irvine. In 2021, I earned my Master’s degree in Public Policy from UC Irvine. Following this educational milestone, I worked as a grant writer for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), the nation’s largest Latino civil rights organization, at its headquarters in downtown Los Angeles.

In 2024, I decided to start my own nonprofit project called Proyecto de Apoyo para la Integracion en la Sociedad (PAIS). In English, Project Assisting the Integration into Society (PAIS). The nonprofit is a small project I started to combine my experience in grant writing with my work on immigrants’ rights. PAIS seeks to increase civic engagement among underrepresented communities. The mission of PAIS is to provide individualized support to legal permanent residents (LPRs) in achieving their dream of becoming naturalized United States Citizens. PAIS offers hands-on citizenship preparation classes for monolingual Spanish speakers and LPRs in the Central Valley and Santa Cruz regions of California.

I am grateful to the many people, community organizations, and institutions that have encouraged me to pursue my academic and professional endeavors. Currently, I am pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and will continue my commitment to public service through research and policy advocacy.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
After my parents divorced when I was 13, my mother and I struggled alone to survive on a small government stipend. At times, I had to sell tamales or cheesecakes just to make ends meet. Although times were tough, I was always reminded by my community, church, and family that I would make it through. As a first-generation college student, I encountered a different type of struggle that involved bureaucratic red tape meant to confuse me. Aside from the “normal” challenges of navigating the university system, I worked multiple jobs to support myself financially throughout my educational journey.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I consider myself an accomplished grant writer. I have expertise in preparing financial documents and grant proposals that showcase the societal impact of civil and immigrant rights programs. My education and experience working with community-based organizations have allowed me to specialize in policy analysis, qualitative and quantitative research, and advocacy. Today, I continue my commitment to public service through my research on hate crime trends targeting Latinos and immigrant populations in California, and by investing in my nonprofit project, Proyecto de Apoyo para la Integración en la Sociedad (PAIS). I am most proud of the role I have played in supporting frontline social and environmental justice organizations like Californians for Pesticide Reform, OLA Raza Inc., and, of course, MALDEF.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
If you are interested in gaining citizenship exam preparation materials, application information, or supporting PAIS in any way you can find us on Facebook or Instagram (@pais_nonprofit)! PAIS is currently in need of start-up funding and implementation grants.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pais_nonprofit/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572601850853