Purpose Prize

Marc Freedman Portrait

The Latest from CoGenerate

Lasting Impact

Lasting Impact

CoGenerate Co-CEO Marc Freedman’s most recent book, How to Live Forever, was published by Hachette/Public Affairs in 2018, generating a lot of great attention. And it’s not over yet! Every week, the New York Times Sunday Opinion section includes a print-only feature...

Check Out Our Signature Event On Cogenerational Activism!

Check Out Our Signature Event On Cogenerational Activism!

On May 22, more than 1,100 people registered to learn more about the important cogenerational work our 2023 Innovation Fellows are doing. These 15 leaders are bringing generations together to solve problems and bridge divides. And each one has a unique and inspiring...

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Cowboy Fred Ortiz
(1942-2008)

Up and Coming Scholars
Purpose Prize Fellow 2006

Giving young people a chance for a college education.

Cowboy Fred Ortiz, 63, saw something in the youth of Lubbock, Texas that he recognized all too well, and it pained him. Ortiz grew up in an economically depressed area of South El Paso, Texas, and witnessed many of his peers failing to thrive and resistant to opportunities that might provide them an avenue toward education and a more productive life. With strong family support, Ortiz grew up valuing education and public service and developed the confidence and skills he would later apply to his education and a military career. After retiring, he decided to focus on youth in Lubbock, to provide them a way to thrive – to work toward attending college, to feel supported and valued, to get involved in their communities, and to learn leadership and accountability. In 2003 he created the Up and Coming Scholars program to work with young people in Lubbock. Community service is a cornerstone of the program, and Up and Coming Scholars are giving back to their communities in dramatic ways: fighting child abuse through the Youth Victim Project with the National Center for Victims of Crime, painting murals of ethnic heroes to promote cross cultural understanding, participating in campaigns against drunk driving, and demonstrating respect for the disenfranchised by attending funerals of the homeless.