Boris Lopez was born in 1963 in Guatemala City, Guatemala. At the age of 10, he immigrated to the United States with his mother to start a new chapter in his young life. Through the hardships of adjusting to American culture and life, Boris Lopez discovered the opportunities an education has to offer a person. While working nearly 40 hours a week during his time at the university, Boris persevered to obtain his bachelor’s degree and a few master’s degrees as well, leading to a profession in academia.

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    As an advocate for education, Boris Lopez went on to work in administration at Cal State Los Angeles during the 1990s and later became an academic counselor at Los Angeles City College where he retired in 2021.  He impacted the lives of thousands of students in over 30 plus years in his career in education. Boris had a passion for encouraging students to apply themselves in their studies and ultimately obtaining their objectives by means of an education. 

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    In the year 2000, Boris Lopez founded the Chicano/a Latino/a Educational Foundation (CLEF), a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting students achieve their professional, academic, and artistic goals. Over the years, CLEF expanded to help fund outreach programs in the Southern California area. By collaborating with educational programs and working closely with program directors, the Chicano/a Latino/a Educational Foundation was able to develop two summer residential programs; Career Academic Preparation Academy (CAPA) and Peer Academic Leadership (PAL) Program that take place on the UCLA and UCSB campuses. These residential programs simulate a college environment for students, while explaining the differences between a major and a career and developing their leadership skills to assist their peers in the college application process. 

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    Aside from helping students understand the Four Systems of Higher Education, admissions, and the financial process, the Chicano/a Latino/a Educational Foundation has also created professional development opportunities to train teachers, high school counselors, college counselors, and parents to better support students pursuing a post-secondary Education. 

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    For 22 years, Boris Lopez led CLEF with the help of volunteers and staff that share the same passion for assisting and encouraging students. He was a son, husband, father, friend, and role model to many throughout his life. After several months of battling leukemia, Boris Lopez passed away on February 8th, 2022, at the age of 58. The foundation continues to strive towards its purpose under the direction of the son of Boris Lopez, Alejandro, who wishes to uphold his father’s legacy and expand on the work his father begun 24 years ago.