Ana Guerrero

Ana Yessica Guerrero is a social entrepreneur dedicated to empowering first-generation Latinx students to reach their full potential. She is a proud immigrant from Mexico City and grew up on a ranch in Goleta, Calif. As a first-generation student herself, she had numerous aspirations and goals.  Ana was an eager and determined scholar, yet she was met with little academic guidance and a lack of resources. Although Ana encountered greater difficulties in higher education, she went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley followed by a master’s degree and doctorate from the department of education at the University of California, Santa Barbara. 

Ana realized the challenges she endured in her academic journey were not unique, but a recurring pattern among first-generation students. While researching for her doctorate degree, she studied more closely the experiences of first-generation, Latinx students in college and the type of guidance they receive for career development after graduation. Observing the inequalities, Ana then used her expertise and passion for supporting Latinx learners to launch her business, FirstGen_Resilience.  

When Ana started FirstGen_Resilience in June 2021, she had the idea, the drive, and the passion, but sought resources and mentors to guide her as a new small business owner. This led her to WEV.  

“Having no business background or mentors, WEV helped solidify my ideas and business plan. WEV has given me the tools to move my business idea forward, plus, everyone is friendly,” Ana said. 

With WEV’s guidance, Ana has been able to further develop FirstGen_Resilience. She completed WEV’s LivePlan class where she worked on a business pitch, financial plan, identified target audiences, and was connected to a website developer to make her website more user-friendly.  

“WEV helps business owners by facilitating space, connections, and guidance to further develop their business. WEV also gives you the opportunity to be empowered by a community of other mighty women business owners! I have learned a lot from my peers,” Ana said. 

Ana’s professional, academic, and personal experiences inform her commitment to advocate for further equity and inclusion in higher education. As a social entrepreneur dedicated to helping students who are often underserved reach their fullest potential, she is ultimately enhancing our communities through FirstGen_Resilience.