Growing up undocumented in Arizona, Reyna Montoya experienced constant fear of deportation, family separation, and lack of educational opportunities. Through her journey, she realized families like hers had no space to process the traumatic impact to unjust immigration policies on thir mental health and well-being. Reyna founded Aliento to co-create a space where undocumented youth and mixed-status families can process their emotions, embark on their healing journeys, and develop leadership skills to advocate for their community. 

Since its inception, Aliento has impacted over 50,000 people. Close to 11,000 youth including those who are undocumented, DACA recipients, or part of a mixed immigration status family have been supoorted by Cultiva, Aliento's Arts and Healing programs. Cultiva has improved healthy levels of anxiety and stress, coping skills, resiliency, and agency among its participants through workshops, open mics, and therapy sessions. During the pandemic when mixed-status families were excluded from receiveing the federal stimilus, Aliento supported almost 500 families with nearly $250,000 in direct support for these families. In the 2020 and 2022 elections, Aliento educated nearly 100,000 voters which led to the passage of Prop. 308, in-state tuition rates for DACA recipients in Arizona. To build youth leadership and advocacy skills, Aliento partners with more than 430 schools and institutions, providing trauma-informed training for educators and sponsoring paid internships and fellowships.

Now, Aliento aims to continue supporting the Latino and immigrant community's access to mental health programming and resources. With a mission to transform trauma into hope and action, Aliento is commited to creating positive change for the people it serves and the generations to come.