Most recent high school graduates have plenty on their minds: from taking on the responsibilities of adulthood to deciding on a pathway toward a job or career, the transition from child to young adult is full of challenges. For Luis, a Juma youth from San Jose, all of those concerns took a backseat to something no young person expects to face: a cancer diagnosis. Today, Luis is in remission and grateful to be back doing things he enjoys–especially working at the home stadium of his favorite team, the San Francisco 49ers.

Luis learned about Juma at a college and career fair in his senior year of high school. A longtime 49ers fan, his interest was immediately piqued when he heard that Juma offered a chance to work at the 49ers home field–Levi’s Stadium. Having only ever visited the venue once before, Luis found his first shift with Juma both surreal and exciting. Leaning into the fan experience, he cheered for his team even as he worked.

“It’s so fun to be there”, recounts Luis. “Hearing the fans, the customers’ reactions–even when I can’t see the game that’s enough.”

Working in professional sports venues helped Luis build up his confidence and start to reclaim some of the connection and motivation he had lost during the pandemic–until an unexpected medical upheaval threw a barrier into his path. When Luis was diagnosed with cancer, he had to take almost a year off from his job at Juma to focus on healing. He spent six weeks in and out of hospitals undergoing chemotherapy. 

“It’s like psychological warfare in that room by yourself,” says Luis of his chemotherapy experience. “There are times when you don’t want to talk to anyone and times when you really want people to be around. I kept texting friends from Juma–that’s how I knew they really cared and supported me.”

Today, Luis is back to doing what he loves: supporting his favorite team. He’s also considering steps forward for the future using skills he’s learned at Juma like money management, networking, and the confidence to interact with people from all walks of life. 

“Without Juma, I definitely wouldn’t have met people who have not only helped me grow as a person but who I’ve also created good connections with, both friends and mentors,” Luis says. He has used his Juma experience as both a connection to resources and a space in which to learn how to seek out opportunities even outside of his Juma experience.

While Luis’s life has changed a lot since his cancer diagnosis, his outlook is more hopeful than ever. In telling his story, he hopes to encourage others who may be going through similar struggles to believe that there are better times ahead. 

“You don’t hear about a lot of young people my age going through this and beating it,” shares Luis. “I want to put that out there to inspire people.” 

In the future, Luis plans to learn a trade and start on the pathway toward a career–he thinks he might enjoy becoming an electrician. For now, he’s grateful for the simple things–eating good food, sharing good times with friends and family, and as always, celebrating every 49ers touchdown.