In this heartfelt episode of VIVA! Magazine Live, host Blanca Blanco spotlights the visionary founders of La Escuelita at Magnolia Park: Jesse Rodriguez, Joanne Rodriguez, and Dr. Desessie Rios, as they uplift the next generation through culturally rooted education, community pride, and action teaching.
From transforming a family home into a nonprofit headquarters to launching a summer program that teaches Mexican-American history, literature, and art, this episode celebrates how local leaders are preserving culture and building futures.
📍 Based in Houston’s historic Magnolia Park, La Escuelita empowers Latinx high school students to reconnect with their roots through art, storytelling, and civic engagement.
Learn how community support, neighborhood history, and youth mentorship converge to create real impact — one story, one mural, one student at a time.
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