Alan Aleman caught the volunteer itch when he was in high school at Southeast Career Technical Academy.
To vote for Alan Aleman
Voting for the Coors Light Lideres competition lasts through Oct. 30. Voters must be 21 or older, and each person can vote up to 10 times per day. To vote, visit www.coorslightlideres.com.
He went along for a Lake Mead cleanup day with the Student Organization of Latinos, and Aleman, now 21, has been volunteering ever since.
“If I’m not out there doing something in the community, I don’t feel fulfilled,” he said. “When I talk to people about community service, I always say they’ll be happier in life if they volunteer.”
Now, Aleman’s work has brought him the opportunity to do even more in the community, but he’ll need a little assistance from those he wants to help.
Aleman is one of 12 finalists nationwide for the Coors Light Lideres competition. Every year since 2006, the beer maker has selected 12 Hispanic community leaders, then allowed the public to vote on which one should receive a $25,000 grant to design and execute a community project. Nonprofit organizations throughout the country nominate individuals.
Aleman was nominated by the local chapter of the American Red Cross, where he serves as the youth representative on the board of directors.
“He’s really good at seeing opportunities where the community can come together and to align organizations or projects,” said Lloyd Ziel, spokesman for the American Red Cross. “I continue to marvel at his foresight in finding ways to spread the word about the mission of the Red Cross. … He is passionate and always there with a helping hand to lift everybody. He never says no.”
If Aleman wins the grant, he wants to organize a conference on preparing for natural disasters, particularly fires, and a community CPR training session.
“While working for the Red Cross in the Hispanic community, I noticed a lot of people don’t know basic fire-safety steps and precautions for natural disasters. Some homes didn’t have a single fire detector,” he said. “A lot of people don’t understand what the Red Cross does here because in Mexico, they are more associated with hospitals, ambulances and rescue efforts.”
Just a couple of years ago, Aleman could not have been in this position. His parents brought him to the United States illegally when he was 9 years old, and he grew up in Las Vegas without papers. He was among the first people in Southern Nevada to receive a work permit through the deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) program. He has since become a public advocate for immigration reform and was invited to the 2013 State of the Union address, where he met President Barack Obama. A few weeks ago, after recently securing a two-year renewal of his work permit, Aleman was part of a special delegation of DACA recipients who went to Mexico City on a Mexican government-sponsored trip. It was the first time he had seen his family in nine years.
“I’m so honored and thankful to have these opportunities,” he said. “I have no idea what’s going on, but I think someone above is helping me.”
Aleman is in the pre-med program and taking biology classes at Nevada State College while he serves on the board of the Latin Chamber of Commerce in addition to the Red Cross board. He also works five days a week at Hermandad Mexicana, a nonprofit immigration services organization.
“He is incredibly organized to handle all of that, and he makes it look easy,” Ziel said.
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