Our story begins with struggle—but it doesn’t end there.

Progress Pushers was born out of lived experience and a deep commitment to change. Founders Edward Purpose and Coy Graham both faced the harsh reality of being tried as adults and sent to prison as teenagers. They know firsthand what it feels like to be written off too soon. Out of that pain came a promise: to build for young people what they themselves needed as teens—mentorship, guidance, and opportunities that could have kept them out of the system.

That vision connected with a larger movement. In November 2017, the first Credible Messenger training launched in Washington State. By February 2018, the model had grown into groups formed in response to the tragic shooting of twin brothers. From that spark, Progress Pushers expanded into schools, afterschool programs, and eventually into detention centers, starting a pilot at Green Hill Juvenile Detention in 2019.

When the world shut down in March 2020, our mission didn’t stop. Declared essential workers, Progress Pushers adapted, shifting to one-on-one mentorship and community events—meeting young people where they were in a moment of crisis.

By 2022, the movement reached Arizona, where Progress Pushers AZ was founded. Carrying both the legacy of the Credible Messenger model and their own lived experiences, Cordero and Coy brought the mission to life: breaking cycles of incarceration and building cycles of hope.

Today, Progress Pushers Arizona is more than a program. We are a movement—rooted in resilience, built on redemption, and driven by the belief that every young person deserves the chance to write their own story, not have it written for them. We mentor, empower, and equip youth with the skills, guidance, and opportunities that help them thrive—not just survive.

This is who we are. This is what we fight for.
This is Progress Pushers Arizona.