Yalanis Vélez González founded OverComing Adversities (OCA) in summer of 2022. She has a bachelor's in Psychology form the University of Puerto Rico un Mayagüez, a professional certification in Cognitive Neuroscience Applied in Education, and recently became the first person from any of the five US territories, to be a part of the National Policy Council of Foster Care Youth and Alumni. Yalanis main responsibility is her job as an Operations Coordinator for Right to Democracy, a DC-based nonprofit. She spends her time between Right to Democracy and her work in OverComing Adversities to support Puerto Rico's foster youth, this allows her to grow as a leader and a changemaker, while establishing the foundations to help her own community.

OCA is a recently founded youth-led non profit in Puerto Rico that aims to promote economic mobility, develop Puerto Rican talent and break poverty cycles in the Island by mentoring and supporting the personal and professional development of impoverished youth between the ages of 18 to 25. OCA is providing services, cultivating strategic alliances, defining their values, theory of change and participating in capacity building programs inside and outside the Island, such as:

• Foster America's National Leadership Circle
• Mentes Puertorriqueñas en Acciòn's social enterprise development program EnAcción
• El Centro de Emprendedores pre-acceleator program,  Núcleo

Now, OCA is focused on fundraising, expanding and structuring their Board of Directors, and identifying a fiscal sponsor to propell the expansion of their services. Your contribution helps OverComing Adversities host their end of the year fundraiser, hire an operations assistant, work with strategic development consultant and work with a grant writer to help the organization establish a foundation that leads to impact and sustainability.