We The Gente®

About Us

We The Gente® is dedicated to empowering individuals and families to build brighter, more confident futures through community, opportunity, and belonging.

Where It Begins: “We the People”

Where It Begins: “We the People”

We The Gente® begins with the understanding that We the People has always included us. Hispanic communities have contributed to the country’s growth, culture, and resilience for generations. Sometimes that belonging hasn’t been fully acknowledged or accepted, but it has always been real.

Our purpose is to recognize that we are part of the American story, and to make sure the next generation feels and owns that truth. Our heritage and our identity do not conflict with being American; they strengthen it. We the People is our reminder that we move forward together, as one community made stronger by its diversity.

From Belief to Action

From Belief to Action

From that belief came a realization. Even though we belong, many in our community still don’t have equal access to the guidance, networks, and opportunities that help people advance. Too often, talented individuals feel like they’re navigating school, careers, and life without a map.

We The Gente® was created to change that. It started as a simple, personal mission to bridge gaps, share knowledge, and create a place where people could find the support they’ve always deserved. A space built by someone who understands the challenges firsthand and refuses to let others face them alone.

We The Gente® Today

We The Gente® Today

Today, We The Gente® is a 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to empowerment, access, and economic mobility. We help Latino individuals and families connect with education, career guidance, essential resources, and supportive services that improve quality of life and well-being.

We work to address obstacles that stand in the way of progress, including basic needs and mental health pressures, while providing tools that build clarity, confidence, and upward mobility. Our mission is to be a steady hand in moments of uncertainty and to empower people to move toward the future they envision for themselves and their families. We give our community a place to learn, grow, and rise together.

Our name blends national identity with cultural pride. It honors where we come from while embracing who we are within this country. We The Gente® is not just a brand. It is a commitment to uplift the present generation and pave the way for the next.

Who We Serve

Who We Serve

We The Gente® serves individuals and families who have always been part of the American story, even when they have not been made to feel like it. We focus on Hispanic communities: migrants and lifelong residents, veterans and students, single parents and farmworkers, families starting over and entrepreneurs.

What they share isn't a circumstance, it's a drive. They're building a path without a blueprint, working toward something more, often without anyone who's walked the road before them. They know they belong; they just haven't always been shown where or how to take the next step.

Our community is diverse, resilient, hard-working, and full of potential. We’re here to amplify that strength, open doors, and help every person move toward a life defined not by limitations, but by possibility.

Built with care. Guided by community.

How we work

We didn't build a single program. We built a connected pipeline. A family that finds us is paired with one bilingual guide who stays with them, from the first conversation through stabilization and into a path forward, while the systems behind the scenes handle coordination so our people can focus on trust. Every service we provide is measured as it happens, which means our impact is built on real data, not estimates.

It's a model designed to last, and to scale.

Our team

Learn about our team

Raul Aldrete

Raul Aldrete

Executive Director

Raul Aldrete is the founder and executive director of We The Gente®, a nonprofit supporting Latino individuals and families. A first-generation Mexican-American and U.S. Army war veteran, he brings experience in software engineering and site reliability.

Denisse Vargas

Denisse Vargas

Vice President

Denisse Vargas serves on the We The Gente board and works as a Behavior Strategist with middle and high school students. A woman of faith active in her church, she was born in Texas and raised in Minnesota since age two. She brings a steady, listening presence to her work with families in the community.

Nicholas McMillan

Nicholas McMillan

Director

Nicholas McMillan serves on the We The Gente board, bringing more than 20 years of leadership in heavy civil construction. FEMA-certified and trained in disaster response, he provides independent oversight and a steady, results-driven perspective to the board's governance.