Overcoming Obstacles, a book  by Alicia Garcia

To achieve your dream, “you simply must overcome the obstacles that get in your way and be willing to triumph over your fear and take the leap of faith.”

I learned about Alicia Garcia’s book Overcoming Obstacles when I met Alicia to discuss partnering with Project We Hope, a homeless shelter in East Palo Alto, for UncoverU my life skill training company’s Summer Workshops. I was looking to partner with a homeless shelter or a group home to have the young people in my course genuinely connect with people at a human level. Alicia is the Associate Director of Project We hope. As we discussed the partnership Alicia generously shared all the resources she had available to help make UncoverU successful.

In the recent past, in my corporate life, it has been somewhat rare to meet people who are committed to others success and share generously all that they have to ensure that success. That is what I found in Alicia.

In our meeting, I learned that Alicia had written a book about the conception of Project We Hope and the challenges that had to be overcome to get to where Project We Hope. Having met Alicia, I was curious what I would learn from the book.

The book weaves in history, culture, Church life, business and at the core of it is grit and commitment to do the work that is needed to make our communities, societies and the world a better place. It was very inspiring. There were moments as I read when I wished I could relate to religion more deeply. Even with that a miss for me, I learned so much, and it reinforced some of my deeply held beliefs. I am delighted I not only had a chance to read this book but also get to work this amazing person that is Alicia Garcia.

Here are a few things I learned from reading Overcoming Obstacles:

• To achieve your dream, “you simply must overcome the obstacles that get in your way and be willing to triumph over your fear and take the leap of faith.”
• In a world where doing your best is equated to greatness, Alicia calls for a world where doing your very best should be a general expectation.
• How family and faith are instrumental in what one wants to create and build things that will serve the greater good, but also the resolve to see it through. How family, faith, and resolve were at the very core of creating Project We Hope, a homeless shelter with 55 beds in East Palo Alto. Serving the community for nearly two decades.
• All that becomes possible when one has faith and is undeterred by obstacles and a genuine need to help people – it is the butterfly effect.
• In the book is raw honesty about the need to affect the community, the obstacles that we put in front of ourselves as governments, companies, and people. It is open about the challenges Project We Hope faced with, agencies, management, volunteers, and teams, yet keeping the goal of helping people in the forefront and making strides.

I for one have gained a view into the lives of people who created Project We Hope and the people who are served by Project WeHOPE, and I am in awe of both.

Alicia Garcia, Thank you!
www.aliciagarciama.com
Amazon Product page: http://amzn.to/2G6EinJ