Idway into his freshman year at Vallejo High School in 2019, Victor Paredes’s mom pulled him out, fearing for his safety after learning he had joined a gang. “My mom wanted me to go to school there so I could be with my sisters,” Victor explains.
A Calling to Create Change: Deborah Emery, Our 2025 Changemaker of the Year
“For me, I had always noticed Hanna from a distance. But once I stepped onto campus and saw the vision in action, I knew I had found my place.” – Deborah Emery, Changemaker of the Year
