Joshua is a product of Holyoke. Of Puerto Rican descent, he was raised in a low-income, single-mother household in South Holyoke on South Summer Street. In many ways, he is a product of every service resource available to his family. He was an active youth member in the Arco Iris program at Nueva Esperanza and later served on the organization’s Board of Directors for five years — four as Chair. Joshua was also a longtime participant of the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club. He served as one of the Club’s first Peer Leaders and worked at the Boys and Girls Club for 10 years throughout High School and College. He went through the Holyoke Public Schools: Lawrence Elementary School, Lynch Middle School and Holyoke High School, graduating in 2004. He is an alumnus of Northfield Mt. Hermon Upward Bound program. Majoring in Psychology with a minor in Regional Planning, he earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Westfield State University. He went on to earn a postgraduate degree in Public Administration.