Happy June! We hope everyone is safe and healthy during these difficult times. We hope to bring you some good news and celebrate how to support our communities in midst of all that is going on in the world and this country especially. While this year has been a challenging year for each of us, we choose to celebrate our accomplishment of building hope on both sides of the border and the accomplishments of our community. Additionally, we would love to recognize all of the incredible fathers in our community who show us strength and determination. Below, you'll meet Fredy, a father in Ecuador who has been receiving support through the Ecuador & Venezuela Covid-19 Food Relief. You'll learn how you can support Fredy and more families as well as the firefighters in Tijuana. Thank you for being part of our community and we are sending each of you light and love.

We are deeply saddened by the racism, injustice, and intolerance haunting black communities across our country. We stand in solidarity with all black lives in communities around the world and for all those fighting for justice, dignity and respect.

"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite." - Nelson Mandela

Congratulations to the graduating class of 2020! We especially want to congratulate all of our senior high school leaders who are transitioning into a new stage of their lives. Thank you for being part of our community, for growing Casas de Luz, and sharing your passion with us. We wish all graduates nothing but the best and are excited to see where life takes you! You are always welcome to join us on builds and be a part of our community.

Benjamin Rosenthal: Georgetown University

Benjamin Velasquez: University of California, Irvine

Natalie Feldman: Stanford University

Sophie Park: University of California, Berkeley

Summer Camporesi: University of California, Davis

For Fredy, being a father is the most important title he has. He is a father to twins who were born on April 9, 2019. These little boys are continually in and out of the hospital and operating room due to cranial deformities. Having such medically fragile children has huge costs on Fredy economically, mentally, and emotionally. However Fredy's love of being a father conquers all of these costs and allows him to be a superhero for his twins. Recently, one of the twins developed metabolic acidosis and stopped breathing for 10 minutes. Since then, their neurosurgeon has emphasized the importance of another operation on his head. Around this time, Fredy lost his job due to the pandemic and left him desperate. Our partner in Ecuador met Fredy when he was selling limes on the street with no shoes. After giving him his shoes, our partner learned about Fredy's story and was amazed at how powerful his love is to continue fighting for his children. Fredy has received help through the Covid-19 Food Relief and is so grateful for the groceries and diapers that he says is saving his family's life. Rain or shine, Fredy fights everyday by selling limes to maintain little income in hopes of saving for his son's operation and both of his twins medical needs while paying rent and feeding his family. Fredy is a superhero who will never give up on his twins. Thank you Fredy for showing us what is means to love in the hardest of circumstances.