Cynthia Cruz

Advocate

email: cynthia@teensuccess.org
​phone: (408) 263-8330

Cynthia Lisette Cruz joined the Teen Success Inc. team in April of 2019. She brings years of experience working with young people of all ages.

Cynthia has a community organization background and passion for inciting young peoples’ awareness of their surrounding environment. Cynthia has dedicated her career to becoming an educator, using popular education methods to connect with youth and inspire them to pursue positive outcomes. Cynthia prefers to work with youth outside of the classroom because she believes learning happens everywhere and that some of the most important lessons tied to personal values are learned outside of formal settings. She takes pride in getting to know youth personally, engaging with families and being able to serve as a mentor, a listening ear and a resource within the community she grew up in.

Cynthia was born and raised in the Peninsula and has deep roots in Redwood City and East Palo Alto, where she resides currently. Cynthia’s lack of role-models while growing up fueled her decision to pursue higher education to serve as a role model, first in Community College where she earned an Associates degree in Sociology, then at the University of California Santa Cruz where she was earned a Bachelor’s degree in American Studies, and finally she obtained a Master’s degree in Mexican American Studies at San Jose State University.

Cynthia is committed to serving youth as an educator, a mentor and as a member of the community with the understanding that it takes a village to raise a child. Cynthia is a proud mother and strives to partake in spaces that aim towards social justice and equity.