Paying it Forward: Judy Guzman Krueger

Judy Guzman Krueger believes those who have achieved have an obligation to reach back and help others.

Her parents exemplified this principal. Her father Gilbert, born in CA to immigrant parents, was the only one of 8 children to earn a college degree. This paved his way for success.

He was studying Spanish in Mexico and met her mother, Elvira, of Jalisco. They married in California and he encouraged her to pursue her education, which at the time was at the 6th grade level. She went on to earn an undergraduate degree at San Diego State University and at 50 years old, a Master’s Degree in Education. Judy’s mother became a teacher and her father a principal, helping other family members achieve success by quietly paying for their education, including a cousin who became a dentist and another an engineer, a fact Judy learned at her father’s funeral.

My parents instilled in us culture, family, values and philanthropy.” – Judy Guzman Krueger

Paving Way for Upward Mobility

Giving others a path to upward mobility motivated Judy, a banker and new CFMC board member, and her brother Gilbert, a priest, to provide generous seed money for the Siembra Latinos Fund, an affiliate fund of the CFMC.

“When my parents passed, my brother and I felt an obligation, a huge responsibility to remember where we came from and pay it forward.” – Judy Guzman Krueger

My parents were plucked from poverty. They had the ambition and intelligence shared by so many who lack opportunity,” said Judy, who invested money her parents left her in the Siembra Latinos Fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County. She appreciates being part of a growing fund which inspires Latinos to join together to increase the quality of life for local Latinos.

Siembra Latinos Fund

The fund, created by a group of local Latino leaders to empower the Latino community, has set its sights on creating change through collective giving and investing in the potential of Monterey County Latinos. The word “siembra” means “to sow,” and the goal is to grow opportunities for Latino residents by inspiring philanthropy and guiding community grantmaking. For more information, visit cfmco.org/Siembra.

Watch Judy’s Story

Judy was one of several board and community members asked to reflect on the 75th Anniversary of the CFMC. For more videos visit www.cfmco.org/75Years.