HOST: Ovi Vasquez, Inspirational Leadership Keynote Speaker from rural Guatemala. Helping teams achieve goals through resourcefulness and resilience. He grew up in a village off-the-grid, migrated to the U.S., learned English in two years, graduated from high school in three years, earned a B.A. in management, in two years. Ovi has worked for Apple, Tesla, Salesforce, and Uber. He is a TEDx speaker, author, and a social entrepreneur.

GUEST: Jose Ignacio Garcia Suarez is the founder and CEO of a mission-driven company Griffith Growth. Born in Mexico and raised undocumented in South Central Los Angeles, Jose overcame systemic barriers to graduate from both Harvard & Stanford University. His journey—from navigating the U.S. school system as a child filling out his own forms to being featured by thought leaders like Gary Vaynerchuk—reflects deep resilience, grit, and vision.

Find our guest at: https://www.tiktok.com/@j.i.gs
Find our host at: https://www.ovinspires.com

Keywords: career development, undocumented youth, grit, faith, mentorship, education equity, cold outreach, Harvard, Stanford, college access, growth mindset, entrepreneurship, community uplift, optimism.

Summary: In this episode, Jose shares his journey from growing up undocumented in low-income LA to graduating from Harvard & Stanford, and becoming a CEO. Jose’s journey is a masterclass in grit, faith, research, and resourcefulness. He breaks down how early exposure to the internet and programs like A Place Called Home, College Match, and SEO helped change his life. Jose now uses his platform to provide practical knowledge in Spanish—empowering students and their families to dream bigger.

Takeaways
✅Faith was foundational in keeping his family unit strong and his personal journey grounded.
✅Resourcefulness is often more powerful than resources—Jose researched programs and filled out his own school forms at age 10.
✅Grit is built from real-world adversity; pressure produces perseverance.
✅Undocumented students can attend elite universities like Harvard and Stanford tuition-free if admitted.
✅Awareness is everything—students and parents need to know what's possible to pursue it.
✅Programs like SEO and College Match provide critical pathways to elite college access.
✅Cold outreach is powerful. With the right tools and email, students and professionals can access networks far beyond their ZIP code.
✅Parents play a key role—equip them with resources, not just the students.

Titles
✅From Undocumented to Harvard: Jose Ignacio’s Unstoppable Journey
✅Grit, Google, and Faith: How a 10-Year-Old Changed His Future
✅Equity Through Information: Why Jose Suarez is Teaching in Spanish
✅Rewriting the Narrative: Leadership Lessons from the Next Gen Latino CEO

Sound Bites
“I was the one filling out my own school applications at 10 years old.”
“Once I learned Harvard was free if you get in, I made that my target.”
“Take the time to give back—in Spanish. The kids may not know, but the parents are hungry to help.”
“Optimism and not being shy—those are leadership superpowers.”

Chapters
00:00 – Introduction to Jose Ignacio Garcia Suarez
05:00 – Getting a Free Computer and Researching His Way Out
07:00 – Setting His Sights on Harvard at Age 14
13:00 – Programs That Changed His Life
23:00 – How to Convince Latino Parents to Let Their Kids Fly
30:00 – Free Resources: Khan Academy, Trailblazer, College Match
31:00 – Hack: Be Bold, Not Shy
33:00 – Final Message: Give Back in Spanish

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