Jose Saavedra Lara is a 2016 Cogswell College graduate, having attained his Bachelor’s degree in Digital Media Management. Growing up in a low-income home, Jose maneuvered through fallacies in his predominantly Latino community in order to gain knowledge to break the ongoing poverty cycle. At this young age, Jose's experiences ignited the unveiling of his passion for music. As the years passed, his endeavors lead him to use music as a self-expressive means of spreading community awareness about local and global issues. Jose developed and contributed his craft to Adobe's non-profit media program, Adobe Youth Voices, for most of his high school & college career. Through his involvement with the organization, he learned the importance of guiding the youth, teaching them to voice themselves as individuals, and as a community, through media. Post-graduation, Jose has supported surrounding communities, and continued his involvement with youth development through music, mentorship, and education in media production."My ultimate goal is to properly equip the youth in local communities with enhanced skills in order to hold a competitive advantage within their desired career field; thus, showing them how to create their own gateway into the industry and successfully breaking the 'glass ceiling' that constrains young, talented media makers." – Jose Saavedra Lara