ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Del Ambiente, a Hispanic LGBTQ nonprofit group, has created a leadership cohort called Lideres Initiative to help Hispanic LGBTQ first-year college students and high school seniors.

Six students will be connected with five mentors including Carlos Carbonell, CEO of Echo Interaction Group, an augmented reality business.

“If you don’t see people who look like you and have had your very similar life experience then you’re going to flounder a little bit,” Carbonell said. “You’re not going to understand you can get to that point regardless of who you are.”

Studies show Hispanic LGBTQ students face challenges like bullying at school that can impact their studies.

“What I aim to do is to ensure that if they’re a high school student they do graduate and do go to college,” Carbonell said. “If they’re in college, that they find a way to finish.”

The students to take part in the leadership cohort will be chosen at the start of the fall semester.

Organizers plan to work with Gay Straight Alliance groups to choose the students but students can also apply.

Information to apply can be found on the nonprofit’s Facebook and Instagram pages.