Guadalupe Centers clears a path to increase economic mobility in Kansas City’s Latino communities

You can find the painted imprints from the small hand of kindergartner Jacob Prospero on the ceiling at Guadalupe Centers. His handprint is among those of his classmates, marking the start of their education in the Guadalupe Centers’ school system as one of the first classes to go from pre-K through 12th grade.

With the support of the Guadalupe Centers, Prospero started his path to a career before he even donned his cap and gown for graduation.

He met Cary Shiner, CEO of Smart Pro Technologies, during a career fair at Guadalupe Centers. Smart Pro collaborated with Guadalupe Centers’ workforce leadership to provide students with internships. Prospero introduced himself and landed the job.

“He seized the opportunity, proved himself, and turned the internship into a full-time job in information technology,” said Jesse Pedraza, chief operating officer of Guadalupe Centers. “He’s now working in the industry while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity and acting as an ambassador to recruit future high school students to similar opportunities.”

Pedraza said Prospero’s story is exactly what Guadalupe Centers is working to build on a larger scale. With a clear vision on how enhanced capacity could scale the organization’s ability to increase access to economic mobility for the students and adults it serves, Guadalupe Centers was awarded a Capacity Building grant from the Foundation in 2024.

“The Capacity Building grant is helping us turn stories like Jacob’s individual successes into a stronger and more consistent system,” Pedraza said. “Jacob’s story shows us that this model works. The funding gives us the capacity to build the partnerships and structure needed so that more students and adults have the same kind of opportunity – not by chance, but because there is a clear pathway designed to help them succeed.”

Guadalupe Centers, a fixture of support and culture in Kansas City’s Latino community for more than a century, has been focused on workforce and vocational training – not just to help someone find a job, but to build a career and a path to economic mobility.

“We’ve seen firsthand that a lot of people in our community are ready to work and want to build better lives for their families,” Pedraza said. “The challenge is often finding a clear and affordable path into a career that pays a good wage (at least $20 an hour or $40,000 a year) and offers ongoing training and a path for advancement.”

Capacity Building funds went to strengthen Guadalupe Centers’ workforce and vocational training and services to provide industry-recognized credentials. The grant also funded a new role – vice president of industry engagement and workforce development – to play a critical role in developing strong program alignment and partnerships with employers. Guadalupe Centers is building capacity to:

• Directly connect clients and students to employers
• Provide career success skills training, such as developing a resume, interviewing, goal setting, problem solving
• Support access and attainment to industry-recognized certifications and credentials employers value

“We’re a trusted organization in the community, and we understand that simply offering a training class is rarely enough. Our programs will connect people with bilingual support, career coaching, digital skills training, financial education, interview skills, and other critical services,” Pedraza said. “A certification or special training may help someone qualify for a job, but the wraparound and whole person support helps them finally see they have more employment options, get hired, and stay on a successful track after they’re employed.”

The Guadalupe Centers high school, which will move into a new location by summer of 2027, will scale Real World Learning opportunities to connect education and workforce training in a much stronger way – starting career exploration earlier.

“Students should have opportunities for hands-on learning, internships, dual-credit courses, employer exposure, and industry-recognized certifications before they graduate,” Pedraza said. “We want them to leave high school with a better understanding of their options and, whenever possible, with a credential, skills, and/or experience that gives them a head start.”

The high school will also serve adults during evenings and weekends, outside the regular school day, to allow working adults and parents to participate in training without having to fit into a traditional daytime schedule.

Our [Guadalupe Centers’] vision is to create a place where students, adult learners, employers, and training partners can come together. Students can learn about different careers earlier, and adults can gain new skills or move into better-paying positions. It should be a community education campus that connects learning directly to employment and career advancement.

— Jesse Pedraza
Chief Operating Officer, Guadalupe Centers

Guadalupe Centers partners with more than 27, and counting, large local employer partners who need skilled, reliable workforce recruitment – extending impact across Greater Kansas City. And for Latino communities, Pedraza sees impact that is generational.

“The larger goal is to help families become more financially stable and create strong career navigation skills and financial opportunities that carry over from one generation to the next,” he said. “Ultimately, we won’t judge our success only by how many people enroll in a program. We want to know how many people complete their training, earn a meaningful credential, secure quality employment, increase their income, and create a better future for their families.”