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Twelve years ago, Maria Casta Lopez traveled from Mexico City to the United States with her husband and newborn
child. Like all immigrants, Casta came to the United States in search of a better life for herself and her family and a
brighter future for her children. Casta and her husband had another child and soon both boys were in enrolled in
Atlanta Public Schools. Her boys were bright, playful, and full of wonder, but they lacked a place to grow and learn
outside of school. When the boys were six and seven years old, Casta enrolled the boys in LaAmistad and their lives
improved dramatically.
The boys came to LaAmistad for after school tutoring and sports programs. They also found mentors in the
LaAmistad volunteers. Casta enrolled the boys in Sunday School at Peachtree Presbyterian Church, Vacation Bible
School, and all the youth opportunities that Peachtree had to offer. Also, Casta took the opportunity to educate
herself. She attended all the ESL classes offered at LaAmistad, took very thorough notes during all of the parent
education workshops, and began volunteering with various programs at the church. Casta now volunteers five days
per week at LaAmistad, works with the Latin American Association at their Inspíra Summer Camp, volunteers at
Garden Hills Elementary School, and generously gives her time to several programs at Peachtree Presbyterian
Church. She is very grateful for the myriad of opportunities that LaAmistad has given her children that would
otherwise be impossible.
Casta is an invaluable volunteer and an incredible role model for LaAmistad families along with other families in
the community. Her story is one of inspiration, dedication, and achievement. Like most parents, Casta dreams that
her children will one day go to college and become doctors and lawyers, but most of all Casta wants her children to
reach their dreams.
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