Plaza Comunitaria Sinaloa was founded by Julieta Garcia in 2015. Upon her retirement, Julieta began dedicating her time volunteering at community centers and working closely with adult and senior immigrants. It was during that time that she witnessed the gap in basic education among Latino immigrants. With the help of volunteers and educators who shared Julieta’s vision of filling the educational gap, PCS was formed and began as a small-scale literacy program that provided learners with the necessary skills to read and write in the Spanish language.

By word of mouth, the organization gained the attention of other community-based organizations and hundreds of low-income immigrants which allowed them to expand their project within the first 2 years. The organization partnered up with the Mexican Consulate and the Instituto Nacional de Educación de Adultos (INEA), and eventually implemented other programs such as English as Second Language, GED and Citizenship test preparation classes, as well as workshops in mental health and domestic violence prevention.

With the support of the community, PCS has grown tremendously since 2021 and continues to expand programs and services based on community needs, priorities, and values. PCS has recently partnered with community colleges and other community-based organizations to provide workforce development programs. The organization’s trajectory includes decreasing the gap in occupational skills among immigrants and creating career pathways that lead to upward mobility.