From La Causa Student to Community Leader:
Zuly Gomez’s Full-Circle Story of Love and Giving
Original Author
Angelina Velazquez
Release Date
2/13/2026
When Zuly Gomez talks about La Causa, she doesn’t speak as a guest or a partner. She speaks as someone whose story began here
“I love La Causa because it was one of the first places where I felt safe, seen, and full of possibility.”
When Zuly and her mother arrived in Milwaukee, La Causa was the very first school her mom enrolled her in. Living just a few blocks away, Zuly’s aunts and grandmother walked her to school each morning while her mother went to work. As a single, undocumented parent, her mother chose La Causa not just for convenience, but for trust—trust that her child would be cared for with dignity, love, and respect.
Some of Zuly’s earliest memories were formed within La Causa’s walls: walking next door to the fire station, field trips to the zoo, and especially Christmas celebrations. Growing up in a small home with many family members, she remembers feeling surrounded by love—and at La Causa, she felt something else too: that everything would be okay.
“The warm meals, the clean play spaces, the camps, and the big bag of Christmas toys made me feel like I had it all,” she shares. “Those toys sparked my imagination. They helped me dream bigger than what I knew at the time.”
Even as a child, Zuly remembers thinking that one day, if she ever could, she would want to give back in the same way.
Today, she is doing exactly that.
Zuly is now a visionary leader and entrepreneur working at the intersection of healthcare, education, and sustainability. With more than a decade of experience in strategic partnerships and community-centered innovation, she has launched and scaled mission-driven ventures, served on nonprofit boards and advisory councils, and champions inclusive, systems-level change for underserved communities.
But her connection to La Causa remains deeply personal.
For the past two years, Zuly has donated toys for children served by La Causa. Last year, she experienced a full-circle moment—volunteering and placing the gifts directly into children’s hands.
“Watching their little faces light up, seeing the joy and excitement in their eyes—I saw myself in them,” she says. “And in that moment, I felt overwhelming gratitude that a space like La Causa still exists in our community, still creating magic.”
La Causa shaped Zuly’s identity by honoring both her future and her roots. In a bilingual environment where Spanish and English were celebrated, she learned early on to be proud of who she is and where she comes from—a foundation that continues to guide her leadership and her commitment to equity.
“And I still love La Causa because it continues to do exactly what it did for me—create safe, joyful spaces where children can grow, and support parents who are doing everything they can to build a better future for their families,” she says. “It’s not just an organization to me. It’s part of my story. It’s part of my heart.”
Zuly also served as the emcee for La Causa’s 2025 Gala, helping celebrate the organization that helped shape her journey—and inspiring others to invest in the next generation of children and families.
Her story is a reminder of what your support makes possible: not just services, but futures. Not just programs, but full-circle moments.
Be part of a story that lasts.
La Causa doesn’t just serve families; we help write their stories. Discover how your partnership can create lasting impact for children today and leaders tomorrow.
