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ABOUT US + MISSION



The mission of Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors is to honor and support parents as leaders of their families and their child’s first and most influential teacher.
The mission of Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors is to honor and support parents as leaders of their families and their child’s first and most influential teacher.

We believe that PARENTS are powerful agents of change in the lives of their children and communities. They lead the way to positive outcomes for their children.
We believe that PARENTS are powerful agents of change in the lives of their children and communities. They lead the way to positive outcomes for their children.

AP/OD PARENTS participate in local programs to strengthen their leadership, knowledge and support systems – all key in preparing their young children for school success. AP/OD’s ten interactive sessions assist parents in building strong foundations for their children in reading, math, technology, health and more. Parents support each other in making what they learn a part of daily life, understanding they are in powerful positions as leaders and advocates for their families.


Our PARTNERS are family-serving organizations and schools that adopt Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors as a transformational, culturally-relevant, and evidence-based program.

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Our PARTNERS are family-serving organizations and schools that adopt Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors as a transformational, culturally-relevant, and evidence-based program.

AP/OD PARTNERS adopt our parent program as their own because it reflects the culture and realities of diverse families, draws from real-life experiences, and incorporates data about local schools and services. Partners know the benefit of parents being highly involved in the first five critical years of life. They support parents in strengthening their families for the transition into school and for long-term engagement in community life.

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Our VALUES originated from listening to parents and what they needed.
  • Listen first
  • Honor family experiences, history, and knowledge
  • Support leadership starting at home with parents
  • Be both learners and teachers
  • Invest in parents and families as they lead the way
I work hard so that my family can have opportunities and an education that I’ve never had. The program helped me understand my role as leader of my family. I set goals and made plans to reach them, step by step. It’s like the program says – “if you don’t look forward, you stay behind.” My son will go to university one day.
-Liz O., parent graduate
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Organizations don’t see Abriendo Puertas as just an added program, they see it as a unique way to meet their own mission and goals when working with families. They collect data, they see how it is impacting their families. They see an increase in the participation of parents coming to their agency and they see it as an effective way of changing their communities.
–Silvia Esqueda, National Trainer, AP/OD Institutes
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By listening first to family experiences and building empathy, we respect parents and regard them as true experts for what their families need to thrive. Our two-generation approach develops and evolves by working in shared processes with parents to meet families where they are, understanding that the first years of children’s lives are crucial for lifelong learning and social and cognitive development.
-Sandra Gutierrez, Founder and National Director, AP/OD
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Knowledge is power.
-A “dicho” or popular saying from the AP/OD curriculum