Mom Life IsEasier Together
Shine is a community of moms like you who’ve got your back. You don’t have to do mom life alone.
What is Shine?
Go Ahead, Dream Big.We've Got You.
Shine is a community of support for pregnant and parenting young moms. Advocates will coach you and help you get the resources you need to live your best life, while you work towards providing your child(ren) with the best life possible. We’ll support you with what you need for high school, college, and beyond–all while keeping in mind the demands of motherhood. We know it isn’t easy and we’re here to help.
Why Join?
Find SupportWithExperiencedAdvocates AndMeet MomsLike You
Here you’ll meet other moms like you, learn new parenting skills from your Advocates, and have cool new experiences. Get the support you need to finish high school and go to college. Your Advocate is with you every step of the way and you’ll have fun doing it.
Why Join?
Learn, Grow, Thrive
Join us on fun and rewarding new experiences like college tours, mommy-and-me activities, job preparation, all while connecting with other moms your age.
Coaching For School
Mommy-And-Me
Mom’s Group Learning
Job Prep
Workshops
Trips
Community Building
Personal Finance
And More
Our Advocates
Meet Your Advocates
Rosita Figueroa
Advocate, Fresno County
Rosita was born and raised in Fresno California. She earned her bachelor’s degree from California State University, Fresno in 2017. Rosita has over 6 years working with youth. She is passionate about creating change because of the lived experiences she has faced.
During her free time, you can find Rosita having fun with her niece and listening to true crime podcast.
(408) 685-7581
rosita@shinetogether.org
Alexis Frutos
Advocate, Sacramento
Alexis F. is a queer identifying first gen graduate who grew up in the Sacramento region. She graduated from CSU Long Beach with a degree in gender studies and has worked with grassroots organizations in Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia for human rights, climate change and education. She has a passion for connecting with people, especially the youth. She is excited to be in community with young mothers to provide trauma informed support and intuitive guidance.
(408) 836-8445
Karolina Cabanillas
Advocate, San Jose
My name is Karolina Cabanillas and am a first-time mommy of a baby girl. I am Hispanic and the eldest of 4 children. My family and I are from Sinaloa, Mexico and are very proud of our roots. I am bilingual and love to help my community with any resources I might have.
I have been working with various non-profit organizations for over 8 years now. I have worked with K-12, migrant families and elderly people. I am honored to have been given the opportunity to help my community and our future generations. I am a firm believer that a strong community outweighs everything else. The sky is the limit and I wish to continue spreading that energy to the community.
I am very excited to see what the future holds here at Shine and am very excited to be a part of the journey as an advocate. I am motivated to make a positive impact and am looking forward to serving my community. My door will always be open so please don’t hesitate to reach out for anything.
Cecilia Moreno
Advocate, San Jose
Cecilia Bueno Moreno (she/her). I was born and raised in San Jose, CA. I have a bachelor’s in Sociology from Stanislaus State. I joined Shine in December 2022. I’m happy to be part of the Shine team because I’ve always loved to help the community and empower others. By being an advocate, I can support young mothers to achieve their goals. In addition, I have six years of experience working with youth. You can find me spending time with my family in my free time. Family is important to me. Another hobby is trying new foods and being adventurous.
(408) 593-0294
Isabel Chavarria
Advocate, San Jose
I joined the team in early September of 2022. I have experience serving numerous underserved populations from all ages and backgrounds; through my time working with non-profits from the past 6 years.
I was born and raised in the “Garlic Capital” of the world, Gilroy. Growing up I have always had the passion to support my communities and empower the youth. I believe our youth are tomorrows future and the only way to impact change is through education, support, and guidance. As a first-generation Latina, I was not guided a path, I believe it’s my responsibility now to pass down my expertise and knowledge to others to empower and assure them of their true potential.
I am currently pursuing my degree in Sociology, with the ambition to become a family and marriage therapist.
In my spare time I enjoy staying active by playing soccer, reading, baking, and traveling to new places.
(408) 593-0293
Vanessa Padilla
Advocate, Fresno
Hello my name is Vanessa Padilla but you can call me Ness/Nessa for short. I am 26 and was born and raised in Fresno, Ca. I have a Bachelors in Criminology-Corrections from Fresno State University. I myself was a apart of Teen Success back in 2012 when I was once a Teen Mom. I have an 11 year old son that means the entire world to me. My passion in life is just to simply help people in any way possible. Being able to be someone’s advocate and provide resources to those in need really drives me to be more involved and fully dedicated to my community. Having the opportunity to make a full circle in life by now being apart of this organization as an Advocate really means so much to me. Teen Success was a huge part of my life not only in helping me become the best mother I could possibly be but also shaping me into the person I am today. As much as I’m excited to be apart of this team and show what I have to offer I’m most excited to learn from the mothers I get to work with.
3 FUN FACTS ABOUT ME:
- DIE HARD 49ER FAN
- TRAIN IN JIU JITSU & MUAY THAI
- VERY FAMILY ORIENTED
Alisa Felise
Advocate, San Jose
I was born in Hayward, lived in American Samoa for a time and raised in San Jose. Being a first generation college student, I realized my passion in helping others and thriving in a ‘it takes a village’ mentality in my work in youth development. In my career, I have developed my sense of helping to support underserved communities and being a catalyst in wanting to empower others by focusing on community assets. I earned my Bachelors in Sociology from San Francisco State University in 2015 and am an Americorps member as well. I am hoping to eventually earn my Masters in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work or Social Work.
During my free time I enjoy working out, roller blading, playing basketball/volleyball, live music, karaoke, cooking, camping/backpacking, hiking, and being out in nature!
Our Resources
Everything You Need For Mom Life
We offer many services and resources for young families like yours. Our goal is to make your life as a mom easier, so you can achieve your full potential. Here are the areas in which you can find a program near you.
Bay Area
Monterey County
Sacramento Valley
Fresno County
How To Join
Take The Leap
Are you a parenting or currently pregnant? We can give you positive support to deal with school, being a mom, and much more. We’ve got you. Click “Join Now” to fill out an application and an Advocate will be in touch with you soon.
¿Quieres inscribirte en nuestro programa? Tenemos Advocates que hablan español y están disponibles para ayudarte. Envía un correo electrónico a program@shinetogether.org y te conectaremos.