Rafael is focused on changing his hometown of Waukegan, Illinois for the better. At the age of 16, Rafael launched a music page focused on promoting new, Mexican artists on Instagram. By doing so, he was able to show outside communities how much Waukegan has to offer. In high school, Rafael founded a recreational club by creating a proposal, collecting signatures from students and educators, and making a presentation to the school administration. He also sat on his community’s Teen Court jury, which allows youth facing criminal charges to avoid court records through restorative justice. Rafael volunteered at Beacon Place Tutoring Center where he helped low-income 2nd graders with their math homework. He held three internships throughout high school at Grainger, Barilla and Hospira, and his work at Hospira inspired him to enter the pre-pharmacy program at Santa Clara University.
