Jesse comes to yli with a ton of life experience. As a youth, Jesse was incarcerated and involved with the system until he was 18. As an adult, he was once again caught in the grips of incarceration.
Jesse has several years of experience in grassroots organizing in Merced County. As a Brown Beret, Jesse focused his work on the Anti-Police Brutality component of the Chicano Movement, and migrant children caged in ICE concentration camps. Jesse is passionate about his community and this passion has led him to run for public office a couple of times. He has sat on the School Board of the Weaver Union School District as a trustee and most recently sat as a Merced City Councilmember until his term ended in 2024.
Jesse is the Director of Programs in the Merced office. He supports all yli programs that are being held in Merced County, including the Healing Generation Center.