Lupita Garcia one of two 2022 Boettcher Fellowship recipients

2022 Boettcher Fellowship Fellow Lupita Garcia. Courtesy photo

ALAMOSA — Last summer, San Luis Valley native Lupita (Espinoza) Garcia was one of two valley residents selected by the Boettcher Foundation as fellows in the 2022 Boettcher Fellowship Program — a highly prestigious fellowship honoring selected “community champions” for their contributions and leadership.

The goal of the Boettcher Fellowship is “to identify, celebrate, elevate, and connect community champions from across Colorado by amplifying their voices and impact through a financial investment and structured opportunities to develop as individual leaders and members of Colorado’s leadership ecosystem.”

When speaking about their lives and those events that led them to where they are, both Garcia and Salazar tell stories of lived experiences where, despite challenges and sometimes even heartbreak, personal determination and devotion to something larger than themselves forged a path to being instruments of change for the betterment of others.

Garcia was born in Del Norte and grew up in Monte Vista. As the middle child and only daughter of three children, she was raised by her mother and stepfather. Both parents worked outside of the home, so, from a young age, Garcia “took care of the household cooking and cleaning some days.”

She describes her childhood as “pretty normal,” including “being a good student who got good grades throughout school.” In high school, she went to school half days and worked with a Chapter One teacher assistant, helping children that “had a different way of learning.” She says she was named in the Who’s Who among American High School Students and, as a teenager, competed for Miss American Co-ed.

“I didn’t win but I learned so much from those experiences,” she said.

The importance of learning and being on the lookout for opportunities to learn more has been a constant thread throughout her life, even while experiencing a significant loss.

Garcia married her high school sweetheart and had two sons but the marriage ended in divorce when she was 31 years old. Her ex-husband told her she was not allowed to divorce him — she “would always be his wife” — and, before moving to San Diego, left her sons a letter saying he might never see them again.

The threats didn’t end there. He also told Garcia that he would steal her sons and take them to where she would never see them again. She used that letter to file for divorce and get custody of her sons, but her youngest boy continued to be afraid his father would “take him.” 

Garcia went to preschool with him every day. She also gave her oldest son instructions on what to do if his father showed up at school.

Once she was granted custody of her sons, Garcia needed an income to support her family and made an appointment to apply for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in Rio Grande County.

No sooner had she sat down in the “technician’s” office than the technician’s phone rang. It was a non-profit organization looking for a receptionist. Garcia’s skills fit the job description perfectly and, after running home and changing clothes, she went to the job interview and was hired.

“That was my first non-profit job,” she said. “After the first year, I became the manager. After the second year, I became the executive director. Then the Information Center was taken over by San Luis Valley Development Resources Group.”

Sadly, during that same time period, Garcia’s younger brother was killed in a gang-related incident.

“It took a toll on our family,” she said. “The Monte Vista community surrounded us and gave us so much support, including the DA’s office, law enforcement, friends, and family. It seemed like everything was happening at once. My brother died on my wedding anniversary.”

Support also came from within her own family. “My brother helped my sons out and spent a lot of time with them.”

Now, 19 years later, Garcia’s life is devoted to others and the community in which she lives. In February, she will celebrate her ninth year with Energy Resource Center where she works as an intake specialist and office manager for their Alamosa location.

ERC is a locally based, statewide non-profit dedicated to helping families keep their homes safe, warm and energy efficient while protecting families from risks associated with Colorado winters and keeping them comfortable in both summer and winter months.

In the nine years, she has been with ERC, Garcia has collaborated with several agencies to build their outreach.

“I want to help all the people I can who qualify for our programs,” Garcia said. “No partnership is too small or unrelated to housing.”

As part of building that outreach, Garcia lists more than a dozen different non-profits she is involved with, often in leadership positions, ranging from the Regional Broadband Collaborative Board to “three different advisory councils through the Women’s Foundation of Colorado.” 

“I’m passionate about giving people hope,” she said. “Standing up and fighting for what you believe in. Self Esteem is a big issue for many, especially if you have a disability.

“When I got divorced, I was focusing a lot on my kids,” Garcia said. “Each week I focused on doing one good thing for myself. Part of focusing on myself was taking any opportunity that came my way to nourish myself and build a better stronger spiritually rich life. I have always believed knowledge is power so I take any opportunity I can to learn. Every training or class I am offered I take that opportunity to enrich my life. I have always had the hope and strength to nurture my spirit to think positively.”

The Boettcher Fellowship refers to the fellows as “community champions.”

For Garcia, she sees herself as an advocate for the youth of the community more than anything.

“Honestly, I don’t see myself as a community champion,” she said. “I am an advocate on behalf of our youth, elderly, individuals and families. All these people matter and create our community, and we create the space for each other to show respect, hope, and support.

“I believe by doing all these things. It enhances our deep roots and culture that anchors us to the San Luis Valley. I am no expert in advocating. I just have unique qualities and work hard at enriching our San Luis Valley community.”


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