Jessica Cruz

“When I was a reporter, I wrote a story about a high school truant with a gang member boyfriend who was one slip away from becoming another dropout statistic. Jessica was tough – and resilient. She pushed me to start a community newspaper, and together we got a dozen other kids to join.

Seeing those kids push on every day despite enormous personal challenges changed my life. I’m still in touch with many of them 27 years later— including Jessica, who is now the staffing director for a 120-bed health care facility and a married mother of nine. They inspire me every day.”

-Colin Poitras