América Aguirre is an SVBJ Latino Business Leadership Awards honoree
ARTICLE SOURCE: Silicon Valley Business Journal, Apr 4, 2025
By Virginia Brown, Contributing Writer, Silicon Valley Business Journal/Photo Credit: Henri Boulanger
When América Aguirre graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in international business, she envisioned traveling the world, pursuing a corporate career. But a volunteer position steered her toward nonprofits, and nearly 30 years later, she's never looked back.
Aguirre grew up in San Jose, where her parents, both Mexican immigrants, settled into the East Side, despite not knowing the language or anyone in the region.
“I get my work ethic from them," she said. "They taught me that we need to help the person in most need.”
Today, Aguirre brings her service spirit to her role as Managing Director of CORAL (Communities Organizing Resources to Advance Learning), an after-school extended learning program that’s part of Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County.
Each year, over 2,500 students throughout San Jose participate in the CORAL program, which strategically aligns with school district goals with a focus on literacy and social-emotional learning.
“As a parent, I want my children to be in a safe place, and that's what I tell my team,” Aguirre says. “When a child has to leave early because of a dentist appointment, I love when I hear 'Mom, why did you come early?' They don't want to leave!'”
Under her direction, 250 supervisors and after-school instructors work with students at 26 public school sites in the Franklin-McKinley and San Jose Unified School Districts. She even has CORAL managers who were part of the program as young students.
“They remember the field trips, the activities,” she says. “That makes me proud, that we are doing something really well that people remember as adults.”
On the surface, CORAL is an afterschool program. But many families feel it’s much more.
“A lot of families work two jobs. We keep their kids safe while they continue to learn,” Aguirre says.
The program also exposes students, 65% of whom are Latino, to activities such as tennis, golf and soccer, in partnership with other organizations. Aguirre said the program is in Title I schools, where families can't afford extracurriculars.
CORAL is also a constant amidst change. The last several months have proved challenging, as the Franklin-McKinley School District recently voted to close three of the district's 16 schools due to declining student enrollment and a roughly $23 million budget deficit.
“CORAL is an invaluable support to our working families,” Franklin-McKinley School District Superintendent Juan Cruz said. “Our parents have been going through a lot with the school closure decisions, and the one thing the parents say is, 'Please don’t take our CORAL program.' It’s a testament to the way América leads, and the way the program implements the needs of our kids and families.”
“I see myself and my own parents in these CORAL students and their families and the dreams they have for their lives,” she says. “I’m happy, waking up knowing that I'm making a difference.”
