DAVID VARELA | FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
A visionary creative leader with roots in California’s Imperial Valley, David Varela has spent his life using art to tell powerful stories, bridge cultural divides, and create platforms for youth empowerment. Now serving as Director of Creative Services at YWCA USA, David brings over two decades of experience in branding, visual storytelling, and community-focused design to one of the nation’s most impactful nonprofit organizations.
Born and raised in El Centro, CA, David’s early academic journey was marked by challenges. But through the unwavering encouragement of educators and the local migrant education program, he discovered a life-changing passion for art. After graduating from Southwest High School in 2000, he pursued a degree in graphic design in Long Beach—overcoming financial hardships with the support of his close-knit family and deep determination.
In 2012, after selling his first painting, David sought to give back to the school and teachers who had inspired him. When he reached out to his former mentor to donate, he learned that all funding for the school’s art programs had been cut. That moment sparked a mission. David founded Starts with Arts Foundation to fill that gap and decrease barriers to arts education in the Imperial Valley. What began as a personal act of gratitude quickly grew into a larger movement to ensure young people—especially those from under-resourced communities—have access to creative tools, mentorship, and inspiration.
David went on to build an impressive creative career, working with respected institutions including the Los Angeles Times, Viejas Casino, Imperial Valley Press, Sixteenfifty Creative Group, and the national public health powerhouse Rescue Agency. His creative leadership has also supported civic engagement efforts through Neta Collab, an organization amplifying Latinx, Chicano, and Indigenous voices in social and political justice work. David’s contributions to Neta Collab have helped push forward powerful narratives for cultural preservation, immigrant rights, and creative resistance.
In 2022, David relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma with his wife and teenage son, drawn by the city’s emerging creative energy and collaborative spirit. There, he expanded the work of Starts with Arts to meet the needs of his new home. Through initiatives like ArtVanGo, a mobile art studio program, David is re-imagining what community-centered art access can look like—especially for youth in grades 7–12.
Though he lives in Tulsa, the Imperial Valley will always be home, and David continues to honor the teachers, mentors, local culture and his family that shaped his journey. His work is a living testament to the idea that creativity can heal, uplift, and transform.

ANITRA PARISH | DEPUTY DIRECTOR
Born in San Diego and raised in California’s Imperial Valley, Anitra Parish has spent her life building systems that center equity, access, and collective impact. Drawing from lived experience and deep-rooted research in marginalized communities, Anitra designs transformative programs that uplift the strengths, knowledge, and resilience of the people most often left out of traditional decision-making structures.
With a professional background in economics, business development, and nonprofit capacity-building, Anitra combines economic strategy with community-centered design to create sustainable infrastructure for change. She is the founder of multiple social ventures including ADO – A Development Organization, a firm helping nonprofits, social ventures, and civic partners become more socially and environmentally responsible through innovation, inclusive design, and data-backed impact.
As the continued barriers to access became clear, Anitra expanded her vision by launching the ADO Foundation, a 501c3 public nonprofit focused on dismantling structural inequities across housing, education, health, food systems, and mobility. Through initiatives like Remix the System, Equity Grids, and Lyrics Labs, Anitra leads efforts that transform communities into co-designers of their own futures.
Her work is rooted in community voice, equity algorithms, and strategic implementation—offering both immediate relief and long-term solutions. From fiscal sponsorship to youth leadership pipelines and economic development programs, every ADO initiative is designed to build power and infrastructure in under-resourced communities.
Now based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Anitra has brought her bold, community-first approach to a new city—partnering with residents, foundations, and institutions to create scalable solutions rooted in local truth. Whether she’s co-creating a mobile arts program for teens, launching platforms for neurodivergent accessibility, building a farming program or helping families secure housing, Anitra thrives on re-imagining what's possible when communities are given the tools to lead.

ADVISOR | AIDE ALQUIJAY | EDUCATION SPECIALIST
A proud first-generation American and lifelong advocate for educational equity, Aide Alquijay brings both lived experience and deep professional expertise to every space she leads. A graduate of San Diego State University with a degree in English and a teaching credential, Aide returned home to California’s Imperial Valley with a clear mission: to empower the next generation through culturally rooted, community-driven education.
Her career has spanned impactful roles within the youth migrant education program and the CUHS Law Enforcement Academy, where she championed student voice and designed pathways for leadership and growth. Her dynamic leadership and commitment were formally recognized when she was named Director of the English Department at Central Union High School—a testament to her influence as both an educator and mentor.
Aide is a master of building responsive, student-centered curriculum and an unwavering advocate for youth and their families. Her ability to bridge classroom learning with real-world impact makes her an invaluable asset to our foundation. As an advisor to our youth empowerment initiatives, she ensures our programming stays grounded in educational excellence, trauma-informed care, and authentic community connection.
Aide’s work reflects what we believe at our core: when educators lead with passion and purpose, entire communities rise.