Cheetos® Deja tu Huella

Adriana Alejandre is leaving her mark by making mental health care more accessible to the Latinx community. She founded Latinx Therapy, a directory and a bilingual podcast that de-stigmatizes mental health myths & provides education through technology and in-person services. She also runs her non-profit charity, the Alejandre Foundation, which helps increase mental health equity for the Latinx community through therapy grants. For all her admirable work, Adriana was selected as a 2022 Deja tu Huella program winner.

With the support and funds received, her team has been able to optimize the therapist directory and improve search filters to be more inclusive and specific to the Latinx experience.  New search options allow individuals to find LGBTQ+ providers, providers with a similar migration background, providers with a DACA background or providers that are children of immigrants. In addition, she was able to renew programs to bring mental health advocacy programming back to her YouTube channel, and relaunched networking events for Latinx Therapists.

In her own words, Adriana states: “I wouldn't be leaving my huella without Cheetos' Deja tu Huella fund. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Alejandro Xipecoatl Juarez is a Nahua-Xicano educator, poet, motivational speaker, Azteca dancer, community organizer, founder of Calmecac Xochipilli and Xochitiqueztal Youth Fellowship and a 2022 Deja tu Huella winner.

Inspired by and with the support of his “barrio” as well as the UCLA academic community, Alejandro provides programming for holistic wellness, preservation of cultural traditions, education, leadership and social justice.

Through the Deja tu Huella fund, his fellowship has been able to continue to teach local youth how to preserve their indigenous heritage and culture through multiple events and workshops where traditional indigenous foods, music, dance and gardening techniques are taught and celebrated.

Hobbs High School football coach and spare-time fry cook dreamed of opening a food trailer where his local community could gather together in a safe place to celebrate good food, local culture and sports.

With the support of the Cheetos Deja tu Huella fund, ‘Coach T’ was able to launch the Pressbox food trailer and serve a diverse, flavorful menu including one of a kind chicken sandwiches, burgers and Birria tacos. The trailer and crew have been able to serve at places like the local animal center, speedways and the community’s first football tournament.

In his own words, Austin states: “the Cheetos Deja tu Huella fund has been a tremendous blessing to me and my community! This project was meant to get closer with the community and being able to symbolize hope for kids who strive to become more. Words cannot describe how much more it has become!”

Roberto 'Bobby' Alvarado paints using all types of media and credits his style and inspiration to the city of Los Angeles, CA, where he was born and raised. The rich and diverse culture of the city helped set the tone for his life and artwork.

Now residing in Las Vegas, NV, Bobby helps local small Latino businesses, like “Los Gorditos” taco trailer, by painting attractive murals that get new customers as well as local news to pay attention. In 2022, Bobby was recognized by Cheetos Deja tu Huella program for his work for the Latino community and leaving his mark in a unique, creative and fun way.

In his own words, Bobby states: “I have more work now because of the attention and promise, I will continue to leave my mark.”

Brizzo Torres has been storytelling in NYC for over a decade bringing ‘chingona power’ representation and love for her Mexican ‘cultura’ to every immersive performance she does. Further, she uses her talents to help children find their voice and has coached children to land Broadway roles.

When she is not onstage or in the studio, she dedicates her time empowering underserved Latinx, Black and Indigenous children through free quality performing arts education. With the help of her Cheetos 2022 Deja tu Huella winnings, Brizzo launched her For Impact Org, The Good Good Collective, which has created a performing arts program in Tulum, Mexico; performing arts and theatre camps and after-school programs in Brooklyn, NYC; and a musical production dedicated to the victims of Uvalde 21 at a Latina owned theatre company in San Antonio, Texas.

Her goal for 2026, in her own words, Brizzo states: “bring our Tulum all star students to NYC to experience Broadway, arts and culture and work with our Brooklyn students to put on one epic.”

Mexican-American artist and owner of TheHappyAccidentClub, a chain stitch company creating custom embroidery patches and artwork all by hand. With every stitch, he celebrates the rich Hispanic cultural heritage and helps preserve his ancestral traditions. What’s most important for Carlos is to empower future generations to embrace the artistry of textile work.

In his own words, Carlos states: “Thanks to Cheetos I have been able to share my passion and work with multiple artists and collaborate to create some amazing one-of-a-kind pieces. I hope to continue to impact the community and the world one handmade patch at a time.”

Dallas-based photographer Cinthia has been leaving her mark in her community with her creativity and by running “Headshots for the Homies” – an annual accessible career fair that provides free headshots, resume workshops, and career networking. The next fair will be hosted at one of Dallas’ largest libraries.

In her own words, Cinthia states: “We are hosting workshops in a time where folks need career guidance the most! We hope to flex our community muscle and remind folks they aren't alone, by hosting an intimidation-free career networking event and offering free headshots!”

Cheetos Deja tu Huella program winner Diego Magana founded his non-profit, the Mini Nature Reserve, to help educate his community about native plants, culture, and the importance of both.

His organization has been able to teach local Latinx people how to grow native plants from seeds, and how to use them to combat food insecurity. They serve a mostly Latinx community and have planted over 400 native plants across the city of Oxnard. In addition, they help run recurring free native plant workshops and events led by Latinx and Indigenous educators and community leaders.

As a college professor and dedicated moderator of Latinos Urbanos book club, a club dedicated to the reading of Latino/a literary works of art, Dr. Figueroa is leaving his mark in his community in many ways.

Thanks to the Deja tu Huella fund, the book club has been able to offer scholarships to six deserving local students of color. These funds help alleviate some of the financial burden these students and their families face as they continue to pursue their academic goals. The book club hopes to engage with more schools to offer more scholarships as well as sponsor back to school drives and donate backpacks full of school supplies, books, uniforms, and necessities to deserving families.

In addition, the book club has supported various community organizations, such as local domestic violence shelters by supplying Spanish-language self-help books and journals to the strong women who are on their healing journey and need these resources most.

Dr. Figueroa says its best: “The fund has helped us tremendously make an impact in our Hispanic communities.”

Jackson Flores is president and co-founder of Dish Roulette Kitchen, a restaurant development center that provides funding & education to the next generation of diverse  food entrepreneurs in Chicago. For leading DRK and helping to provide small business owners with the resources they need to pursue their passions, achieve their goals and scale their businesses on a 1-on-1 basis, Jackson is a Deja tu Huella program winner. 

With the Deja tu Huella fund, her team created the DRK Cafe- a welcoming space for community members to gather, and enjoy delicious food, while supporting local entrepreneurs. DRK Cafe has become a hub for creativity and connection, and the perfect backdrop for showcasing the talents of underrepresented groups in the food industry. 

Thanks to Cheetos, DRK has also expanded their CPA and legal services, added more virtual office hours, offered more workshops than ever before and generally made their resources more accessible to those who need them. They’ve been able to provide more personalized support to grant recipients by helping them navigate the complexities of taxes and legal requirements more effectively. 

In her own words: “The impact of the Deja tu Huella fund has been far-reaching and helped DRK grow in ways we only ever dreamed of. The program has allowed us to have a significant impact on our ability to serve our community, and we are grateful for the opportunity to continue to make a difference in the lives of those we serve."

For all his work advocating for STEM in the Latino community, Jay was selected as a 2022 Cheetos Deja tu Huella program winner.  His vision is to eliminate racial inequity and uplift the Hispanic community by providing opportunities for Hispanic youth in STEM fields. With Cheetos’ support, he was able to launch his "It's Not Magic, It's Science!" Live Tour in Houston, Dallas, and Puerto Rico, reaching 555 students from bilingual public schools. Through this interactive STEM performance, presented in the form of a magic show, students were not only inspired but also equipped with "It's Not Magic, It's Science!" kits, containing materials, engaging experiment cards in both English and Spanish and videos that encourage family exploration and discovery of science.

This initiative has extended STEM inspiration to underprivileged communities, while also providing hundreds of Hispanic students with a rare opportunity to see someone who looks like them excelling in science. This investment will yield a brighter future enriched by the creativity and impact of these inspired students.

In his own words, Jay states: “Every day, I am committed to expanding pathways for Hispanic youth to participate in STEM and empowering them with the resources to explore their natural curiosity.”

Led by their strong belief that “together they can make a change”, non-profit organization, God’s Little Voices, is dedicated to helping those in need, specifically those in the Hispanic community that believe there is nobody to help them, or feel scared to reach out because of their legal status, or language barrier. For her tireless work helping the organization reach more communities, Lesbia Lozano, is a Deja tu Huella winner.

With the Deja tu Huella fund, Lesbia and her team were able to purchase a cargo van which they’ve used to transport resources to low-income communities in need. They launched a Christmas Toy Giveaway and distributed toys to over 500 kids. They also had a Christmas Food giveaway where they gave over 300 bags of groceries to low income families. The organization continues to look for way to make an impact and leave their mark in the Hispanic community, specifically in the fight against hunger.

In her own words, Lesbia states: “We wanna thank you Cheetos for helping us leave a mark in our Hispanic community ? ❤. “

Omar Negron Ocasio is the CEO and founder of Remora, a Puerto Rico-based business producing an innovative, solar-powered water filtration device able to filter any water source. Just as impressive as the product itself is Remora’s mission of installing the devices in communities that don’t have access to clean water or government assistance. For helping to provide clean and potable water to communities in need, Omar is a Deja tu Huella winner.

Since winning the Deja tu Huella Fund, Remora has impacted 12 communities across Puerto Rico providing over 200,000 gallons of potable water to more than 5,000 individuals. Omar and his team are leaving our mark in the Hispanic community by providing access to clean water for the first time to  low-income communities in rural areas in Puerto Rico.

Omar summarizes the issue and how his solution makes an impact: “Water scarcity limits access to safe water for drinking and for practicing basic hygiene, which results in individuals spending time and money on gaining access to this resource. By providing a safe and sustainable source of clean water, these communities can focus on their health, economic development and empowerment.

Sophia Zarate is the founder of “Corporate Pero Latinos”, a Latinx community created to facilitate social & professional connections through shared experiences, and a Deja tu Huella winner.

With the Deja tu Huella fund, she was able to form a team of exceptional people who are part of the Board of Directors, acquired the 501(c)3 charitable status for the organization, and has hosted several events in her local community, provided their first cohort of ESL/Computer Skills students with laptops, and launched their first scholarship focused on DACA recipients and undocumented students in the state of New York.

In her own words, Sophia states: “Receiving the Deja tu Huella fund completely changed my life and gave me an opportunity to pursue a passion that I didn't see happening for at least another five years. Thank you Cheetos.”

Valerie Gómez has always wanted to forge a path for those who come after her. Gómez, a UCLA anthropology alumnus, founded Latina Grad Guide – a social impact venture to support Latinas in higher education – in 2018, aiming to decrease disparities for Latinas in academia and alleviate financial barriers they may face.

Latina Grad Guide is a social impact venture and online community that supports Latinas in higher education through workshops, events, informational digital campaigns, and funding opportunities. With the support of the Deja tu Huella fund, she has been able to host networking events for Latina graduate students and new professionals and expand our scholarship program to support Latina graduate students.

In her own words, Valerie sums up her mission: “I am leaving my mark in the Hispanic community by uplifting and empowering the next generation of Latina leaders through higher education."