Creating Change in the Bay: One SMART Alum’s Commitment to His Community

(Winter 2020) – “It’s really come full circle for me,” says SMART alumnus, Enrique Perez. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that students go on to do amazing things in their community once they leave SMART.” As the first generation in his family to attend college, Enrique graduated from college in 2018. He has since focused on supporting low-income students and students of color. Reflecting on how his career unfolded, Enrique begins with his family’s personal journey.

His parents immigrated to San Francisco from Mexico in the 1980s and created a home in the Mission District where they would come to raise Enrique and his two siblings, Patricia and Jose. Enrique recalls the tightknit community in the Mission during his childhood. “My mom actually learned about SMART from a neighbor of ours. She really instilled in us a passion for education and would seek opportunities any way she could. To her, college was never going to be a question for us.”
Following the footsteps of his older sister, Enrique enrolled in SMART (with his younger brother not far off behind him). He began middle school at The San Francisco School a year later. “SMART was that support system that our family could rely on. It gave me the chance to make friends with people outside my local friend group. It let me interact with people I normally wouldn’t have been exposed to.” Having attended SFS with other SMART students, Enrique mentions the camaraderie they built in their shared experience as first generation peers and Scholars.
During his middle school years, Enrique was paired with his SMART tutor, Wilson, who not only became his mentor, but a friend. “He came from a similar background as me. And that was really empowering for me to see in a role model.”
In high school, Enrique began his college exploration with his SMART college advisor, Anna Maria. He explains how confusing the road to college can be for immigrant families, noting the many parts involved in college preparedness ranging from high school course selection to financial aid applications. “Anna Maria equipped me with a wealth of knowledge that I use to this day in my own work with students and families.”
In 2014, Enrique began his college career at San Francisco State University, where he’d graduate in three and a half years with honors. “Once you connect to a program like SMART, you’re made aware of the resources available to you. You learn how to seek out those supports and opportunities for yourself. In college, I was conscientious of that. Once you learn how to advocate for yourself in one way, you learn how to do it in every aspect of your life.” Enrique pursued a political science degree in hopes of igniting a meaningful career in community service.
Enrique now works for the education non-profit Innovate Public Schools. He advises Bay Area families and students in their educational journeys, while educating and equipping them with the tools and information they need to become active, advocating members in their community’s education landscape. “For me, it’s all about agency. Giving that agency back to the community. I got that support from my parents and organizations like SMART. This is my opportunity to give back.”
Enrique mentions how fulfilled his community work has made him. When he considers families just starting out at SMART, like his own family did, Enrique says, “These families are about to embark on a journey. And whatever background they come from, they’re going to call SMART home.”