Familias Latinas Por La Educación engages Latino parents and guardians to develop priorities and solutions they want to see in their local schools
Houston, Texas – Latinos For Education announced the newest cohort of 29 parents who will participate in the fall 2023 Familias Latinas Por La Educación Fellowship, a leadership program which works with Latino parents and guardians from Houston’s Magnolia Park and Gulfton neighborhoods to make the education system more accessible and inclusive of Latino families and their priorities, with an emphasis on Spanish-speaking families.
As part of the Fellowship, parents gain a deeper understanding of how decisions are made at the school campus level as well as the school district level. Fellows explore data trends on how schools are performing in the Houston region and develop strategies to advocate for policies that support Latino students to excel academically and emotionally.
“Familias Latinas Por La Educación allows parents and guardians to leave the fellowship feeling well versed on a variety of education topics and confident to advocate for these issues as a community,” said Dr. Armando X. Orduña, Executive Director of Latinos for Education – Houston. “Now, more than ever, we need spaces that provide Latino families the opportunity to learn and grow. Latinos for Education recognizes the importance of centering the voice of Latino parents who are often left out of critical conversations about their children’s education.”
Latino students make up more than 60% of the student population in Houston ISD and Familias Latinas Por La Educación is giving Latino parents a platform to engage with their children’s education in Houston. Parents and guardians who have previously participated in the program have influenced the decisions that Houston Independent School District trustees and superintendent make. Many of these alums have stepped into leadership roles within their local schools after participating in the program.
The 2023 fall participants of Familias Latinas por la Educación, by neighborhood, include:
Magnolia Park Neighborhood
- Erika Machado
- Claudia Toscano
- Viviana Garcia
- Mayra Peña
- Claudia Ricalday
- Erika Johanna Rivas Martinez
- Sonia Lopez
- Elizabeth Ortiz
- Glendy Portillo
- Yessica Mendoza
- Susana Benitez
- Sandra Bazaldua
- Egla Garza
- Rosa Lilian Garcia
- Heidi Gonzalez
- Elmer Saenz
- Maria Ramirez
Gulfton Neighborhood
- Juana Ambrocio
- Vanessa Bautista
- Roxana Castellanos
- Alba Chavez
- Nessy Damaly Chirinos
- Ruth Flores
- Reina Gaytan
- Norma Guerra
- Emely Lopez
- Carmen Machado
- Vianey Montes
- Sandra Rosales
For more information about Familias Latinos Por La Educación and this year’s participants please visit: https://www.latinosforeducation.org/familias-latinas-por-la-educacion/.
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About Latinos for Education:
Latinos for Education is a national education non-profit organization focused on developing, placing, and connecting essential Latino talent in the education sector. The organization is mobilizing a network of skilled education leaders to ensure the voice of students and families is not only heard but factored into decision-making in schools, communities and education institutions throughout the U.S. The organization also ensures Latino education professionals have access to a nationwide network of peers as well as career and professional development opportunities across the country through the members-only EdCentro network. For more information visit: https://www.latinosforeducation.org.
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