Mentors & Milestones: The Journey of Building Social Impact

by Hector H. Lopez

^{This column was originally published throughout the Americas by Al Día News on September 03, 2024, in both English & Spanish.}

Once upon a time, in the dusty borderlands of El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, I was a young boy with dreams bigger than the horizons I could see. My parents, like so many others, had crossed into this country carrying little more than their hopes, and they instilled in me the belief that education was the golden ticket to a better life—a life where I could not only thrive but also make a difference.

I believed in that dream. I clung to it like a lifeline. Education was my path to the American Dream, to success, to the kind of life where impact wasn’t just a possibility; it was a certainty. And so, I worked hard. I was fortunate enough to be accepted into Georgetown University's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, a place where I was convinced all the pieces of my carefully crafted future would fall into place. I studied international politics, law, ethics, organizations, business diplomacy & Latin American studies with a fervor that only youth can sustain, believing that one day, all those hours of study and sacrifice would lead me to a life of purpose and impact.

But as time passed and I ventured into the world of politics and public service, I began to see cracks in the foundation of the dream I had so carefully built. As I described in my last column, the reality of the political landscape, where I had placed my hopes, was far removed from the ideals I had clung to. Integrity often had a price tag, values were negotiable, and the focus was more on individual gain than on the greater good. The system I thought would be my conduit to change felt hollow, and I found myself questioning everything I had worked for.

_{"In the dusty borderlands of El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, I was a young boy with dreams bigger than the horizons I could see."}

It was during these moments of doubt that the lessons of my youth began to resurface—lessons imparted by the mentors who have continued to guide me throughout my life. One of those mentors is Ernesto Nieto, the living legacy behind the National Hispanic Institute, who remains a towering figure in my life, both physically and metaphorically. I first met Ernesto as a 14-year-old attending the Great Debate at Austin College in Sherman, Texas. Even now, when we talk, his questions still have a way of piercing through the superficial and going straight to the heart of the matter.

At the time, I was just a kid trying to make sense of the world, but Ernesto’s questions lingered in my mind long after that debate. They were questions that challenged my understanding of leadership, of community, of what it meant to be Latino in a world that often asked us to blend in rather than stand out. As a sophomore in high school, I attended the Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session, where Ernesto’s influence became even more pronounced. He didn’t just teach us how to navigate the political landscape; he taught us to question it, to challenge it, and to see our role in it as one of responsibility and purpose.

_{“At Georgetown, I believed that education was the key—the golden ticket that would unlock a life of purpose and impact.”}

These were lessons that stayed with me as I transitioned from a student in these programs to a professional within the National Hispanic Institute. It was here, working alongside institute partners like Steve Merritt and Michael Gaynor at Villanova University, that I began to see the bigger picture. The programs Ernesto had designed weren’t just about individual success; they were about community equity—about building something lasting, something that could uplift not just one person, but an entire community.

When I eventually took the Institute’s work into Latin America, recruiting students from across the region, I realized that this wasn’t just about expanding our reach; it was about changing the narrative. Latinos in the United States often see themselves through the lens of minority status, but in Latin America, there was no such concept. These students didn’t see themselves as marginalized; they saw themselves as assets, as leaders in their own right. And that shift in perspective changed everything.

But even as I helped to internationalize the Institute’s mission, I began to feel the limitations of the traditional models we were working within. Higher education in the United States, which had once been the pinnacle of my aspirations, was increasingly failing to deliver on its promises. It was becoming clear that the old pathways to impact were no longer sufficient. The world was changing, and if I wanted to create real, lasting change, I needed to think differently.

This realization led to the founding of BeNeXT Global, an organization born out of the desire to redefine education and social impact. I wanted to create something that went beyond the traditional models—something that empowered individuals to make a tangible impact in their communities, not just in theory, but in practice. BeNeXT was about bringing together the brightest minds, not just to learn, but to do—to build, to create, to launch projects that would transform lives and communities.

As I stand here today, I am filled with hope. Hope that we can create something truly transformative. Hope that we can build a future where education is not just a means to an end, but a powerful tool for social change. Hope that together, we can create a world where the dreams of the many are not just possible, but attainable.

But this is not a journey I can take alone. As Ernesto Nieto once reminded me, real change is a collective effort—one that requires the wisdom of mentors and the energy of new generations. So I am calling on you—whether you are a seasoned professional, a young entrepreneur, or a student with big dreams—to join me. Together, we can redefine what education can be. Together, we can create the social impact we want to see in the world. Together, we can build a future that is brighter, more inclusive, and more hopeful than ever before.

Let’s pick up the phone, reach out to one another, and begin the work of building the world we know is possible.

_{Building the Future Together: These social impact project innovators represent the hope and potential of the Americas. Through collaboration, education, and mentorship, we are paving the way for a brighter tomorrow.}

About BeNeXT Global and Futuro Las Américas:

BeNeXT Global is dedicated to empowering the next generation of leaders across the Americas by fostering collaboration, innovation, and social impact. Futuro Las Américas, our flagship initiative, brings together visionaries from across the region to develop projects that create meaningful change in their communities and beyond.

About author:

Hector H. Lopez is a global executive leader and social entrepreneur with over 28.1 million dollars in impactful initiatives across Latin America. With expertise in international affairs, social impact, media, and global education, Hector is committed to inspiring change, unleashing potential, and empowering communities throughout the Americas. As the founder of BeNeXT Global, Hector’s work centers on creating transformative projects that leave a lasting legacy.