Dear colleagues and friends:
I’m a first-generation, U.S.-born Latina who grew up in a neighborhood where no one looked like me — not because they were white or affluent, but because Latinos don’t always share the same skin tone, appearance, or even language. We’re a complex, diverse, and beautiful mix of people with ancestral ties to all corners of the world. Raised by my grandmother in Prince Georges County, Maryland, a community where the concentration of Latino immigrants hail from Central America, I’m the daughter of Cuban-Chinese-Spanish exiles and Colombian immigrants, so my family was unique. My lived experiences differed greatly from my peers, especially when the school communicated with my caregiver. I didn’t feel represented in my classroom, and my Central American peers didn’t either — we did have that in common.
I didn’t know what Hispanic Heritage Month was until my junior year of high school. All those years attending schools in Montgomery County — known as one of the premiere school systems in the nation at the time — and all I learned about Latinos centered on the Spanish-American War and Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Who knew there were 30 days dedicated to celebrating “us,” assuming that was the intention? My progressive and highly-resourced school district sure didn’t tell me that.
Somehow, against the data and the odds, I “made it.” I finished college, earned three master’s degrees, and now have the honor of working to achieve change for kids who grow up in environments like I did — all of whom deserve better. These children deserve to be seen and taught in ways that speak to their needs and allow them opportunities to succeed. They deserve to be encouraged to feel pride in their identities and to have their talents affirmed.
As we enter Hispanic Heritage Month on September 15, take a step back and think about how your work positions Latino/a kids to overcome the historic and systemic barriers challenging their ability to reach their full potential. Nationwide, there are so many opportunities to do better. Let’s be innovative in our approach to family engagement, cultural relevance, identity-affirming curriculum and environment, and tools that bring communities together in the interest of supporting the unique needs of this demographic. Remember: we aren’t all the same, we don’t look the same, and we don’t all have the same needs, but we are in a time where opportunities are abundant to improve outcomes for Brown kids like me.
With gratitude,
Jessica Mayorga, Managing Director, External Relations
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