President/CEO of Mountain View Chamber of Commerce and Founder, Mesa de la Comunidad

Oscar Garcia came from a poor immigrant family, and worked hard to become the first in his family

to go to college. He is now both a successful business manager and a leader of the community group,

Mesa de la Comunidad, which helps organize community buildings events, addresses educational

issues and advocates for underrepresented groups.

Family Background: “My parents came from Mexico, and were migrant farm workers.

Then they came up to Mountain View, CA and I was raised here.”

Where I Grew Up: Mountain View , CA

Pre College Education: Castro Elementary and Graham Middle School in Mountain View;

Los Altos High School

College Education: University of California at Berkeley; BA in Chicano Studies

"Aha" Moment: “There wasn’t one moment for me. It’s been a process for me starting with my

desire to get on the fast track, the desire to do well.”

Biggest Challenge To get to College: “Not having help at home. My parents didn’t know how to help,

so I had to rely on myself or my teachers.”

Biggest Challenge In College: “The first two years were really stressful. I was struggling academically

and the campus was really big- it was daunting.”

Mentor: “The people in the MESA Program and the Early Outreach Program really helped me know

what I needed to do to go to college.”

Favorite Teacher: “For me, it was a chain of teachers, from my first grade summer teacher

Mrs. Folder to Mr. Abersold in the 5th grade, to Mr.Jones in the 6th grade and Mr. Randall in high school.”

Favorite Author: John Maxwell: "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership".