I Watched Belonging Take Shape

I recently stepped into a new role as Finance Director at Unidos South OC after serving as Board Treasurer for four years. I have always known the impact of this work, but being closer to the daily rhythm has changed how I see it.

Earlier this month we hosted a passport clinic for our neighbors. Unidos covered the processing fees so cost would not be the barrier. As I entered each receipt, the numbers turned into names and the names into futures. From my seat, I could see the shape of relief.

For many of our residents, a passport carries the realization that they are rooted here and welcome to return. It holds the possibility of visiting a parent and returning safely. It carries permission to plan. In a time when belonging can feel uncertain, that small blue book holds steady ground.

That steady ground is what we work to build every day at Unidos. We help create pathways to dignity and opportunity. Through leadership development, education, and direct services like the passport clinic, we walk with families as they step toward stability and confidence.

I am grateful to be part of an organization where justice and belonging are made tangible in everyday tasks, even in the quiet work of processing receipts. Each detail belongs to a larger story, a community where families can thrive.

When one family is steadied, the neighborhood stands a little taller.


Alma Zamudio
Finance Director