ALAS was founded in 2015 by Jordana Vera and Yeni Vasquez. Two best friends who were navigating the world of higher education on their own. Both being non-traditional students, working full time, having to take care of their families, in a world that was not made for them. They did not feel represented and were just a diversity quota to meet. No longer wanting to be the diversity quota, they decided to get together and improve the experiences of BPOC by providing the information they needed to succeed in their careers not just for the students but for the families in Springfield, MO.