From Club Kids to DreamBuilders: BGCMLA Alumni Shaping Their Communities
This article was originally published on LinkedIn. Read the full version below.
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMEBER 6, 2025 - At the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Los Angeles 2025 DreamBuilders Gala held on October 17, we proudly introduced the first representatives of our BGCMLA Alumni Network—former Club members whose lives have been transformed by the Club. Today, these alumni are making an impact across a wide range of fields, inspiring the next generation of leaders, innovators, and creatives to dream big and unapologetically take up space.
Here is a snippet of their stories:
Genesis Cruz
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Los Angeles Alumn, LA County Youth of the Year
"Because of you, young people like me have the chance to dream bigger, aim higher, and know that we’re not alone."
Growing up in Watts, Genesis Cruz faced significant challenges. She moved between homes and schools, never feeling fully settled, and longed for stability and guidance. But when she walked into a BGCMLA Club, everything changed. She was welcomed, seen, and supported in ways she hadn’t even realized she needed.
Rising Above Adversity
At just five years old, Genesis was placed in the custody of a father she barely knew before returning to her mother, a single parent doing her best to provide. Amid constant transitions, she often searched for safety, stability, and opportunity.
Joining the Boys & Girls Club gave her the mentorship, confidence, and sense of belonging she needed during a pivotal time in her adolescence.
A Future Built Through Support
Today, Genesis is a junior at the University of Southern California, double-majoring in Law and Public Relations. Her experiences include:
- Interning at the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS) in San Francisco, advancing policy and advocacy work
- Spending a summer at Nike Headquarters as a Marketing & Communications Intern
- Preparing to study abroad in Rome next spring, with guidance and resources she accessed through the Club
Genesis credits much of her growth to BGCMLA staff, including a dedicated mentor, Mariana Cervantes, who continues to shape her journey. She reflects on how the Club welcomed her when many teens feel overlooked, and how that support gave her the confidence to pursue opportunities that once seemed out of reach.
Before closing her speech at the 2025 DreamBuilders Gala, Genesis thanked everyone who supports BGCMLA:
"You’re not just investing in programs — you’re investing in our futures, our confidence, and our belief that we can change the world.”
Genesis’s story reminds us why Boys & Girls Clubs exist: to provide youth with the mentorship, resources, and opportunities they need to thrive — and to ensure no child ever has to navigate life alone.
Denzell O. Jordan-Perry
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Los Angeles Alumn, Pacific Region Youth of the Year
“I am not an exception — I am evidence of what happens when someone believes, when someone invests, when someone builds dreams.”
Denzell O. Jordan-Perry's journey from a Club kid in Watts/Willowbrook to a Fortune 500 HR Executive and elected Board of Education member in Compton is a testament to the transformative power of youth development programs.
Growing up in a single-parent household, Denzell faced daily challenges. His mother worked two jobs to provide for the family, and he navigated life with two learning disabilities. School was a constant struggle, and by sixth grade, he was told every day by a teacher that he was “stupid” and would never succeed.
Finding Safety and Support at the Club
"When the world labeled me as ‘less than,’ the Club staff looked at me and saw more."
Amid these challenges, the Watts/Willowbrook Club became a second home, where staff saw potential where others saw limitations. They provided guidance, opportunities, and a safe environment for youth to discover their authentic selves. One day, gang members threatened him and his brother, and Club staff risked their own safety to shield them, a genuine example of protection and love from their community.
It truly takes a village (or a Club) to raise a child, and more importantly, teach them how to
change the odds. Today, he is a leader, a professional, and a changemaker, proving what’s possible when our community invests in youth.
These stories are made possible thanks to the dedication of our communities, staff, government, local partners, and donors, who keep high-quality, meaningful afterschool programs thriving and designed to meet the unique needs of every youth.
Here's how you can uplift the next Genesis or Denzell:
- Give directly to youth after-school and summer programs: bgcmla.org/waystogive
- If you're also a Boys & Girls Club alumn, join the BGCMLA Alumni Network
- Contact us at info@bgcmla.org for additional ways to get your organization involved during critical seasons for youth, including college admissions, summer, back-to-school, and the holidays!
Together, we’re shaping futures and building a stronger, more resilient community, one young person at a time.
