August 2024 • Issue 82 • California Association for Bilingual Education

Important Dates and Deadlines

• September 12 & 18—ELDTA Modules 1A & 1B: Foundations for Effective English Learner Instruction Through the Lens of the California English Learner Roadmap
• September 28—DLTA Module 1:  Foundations for a Strong, Successful, and Sustainable Dual Language Program
• October 1—Deadline to purchase ads in the 2025 Multilingual Educator magazine
• October 27—Deadline to submit CABE 2025 commercial workshop proposals

CABE Legislative Advocate Report

by Jennifer Baker

• CABE Co-Sponsored Bill Update
• CABE Bill Update
• Remaining Legislative Calendar
• California Economy Improving

Martha Padilla Chavarría, the youngest of four children, was born in Salinas, California, and raised in Castroville, known as the “Artichoke Capital of the World.” Her family later moved to Prunedale, where she still resides today. Her parents immigrated from Mexico City and worked in the agricultural fields, picking strawberries in North Monterey County. Her father's first job was as coordinator of the Castroville Headstart program, and later, he became a public defender investigator for Monterey County. Her mom entered the educational field as a Migrant Community Liaison.

Martha says, "Growing up, each one taught me valuable lessons. My family played a crucial role in shaping who I am today, instilling in me the values of hard work, dedication, integrity, and compassion. My father was my role model in various ways; he helped many Latino families through his 45 years of community service and the LULAC organization he created in Monterey County. He left such a huge impact that he was honored with the 'Blind Justice,' an 8-foot statue that resides today at the Cesar Library in Salinas, California." 

Martha's parents,

with the

"Blind Justice" statue at the Cesar Library in Salinas, CA

She entered kindergarten as an English learner and remembers feeling excluded,

"I understood English but didn't speak it, and the other kids made fun of my accent." By 3rd grade, she was proficient in English and had become more confident in making friends. In high school, she started the MECHA club and served as its president because she wanted students to embrace their culture and learn about their heritage. One year, after selling the most tamales for a scholarship fundraiser, she became the Cinco de Mayo Queen.

Martha was the only sibling in her family to graduate from high school, and she pursued her studies at Hartnell College, where she discovered a passion for business management. She became an independent consultant and later a sales director for the Mary Kay cosmetic company, with over 100 powerful women on her team who earned six free cars! She says, "This experience honed my leadership skills and provided the flexibility to become involved in my children’s education and my community in many capacities, including Parent Teacher Association President, School Site President, and member of the Bond Oversite Committee. All four of my children were involved heavily in sports and other activities, and those are some of my fondest memories."



In the early 2000s, she decided to work part-time as a community liaison at her elementary school. It was there that she met Elodia Lampkin, the bilingual resource teacher. Later, Lampkin became the principal and greatly impacted her school. This passion led her to continue her community involvement and join LULAC, continuing her father’s legacy. Their North County Chapter supported food distributions, feeding over 1000 families and raising over 400k in scholarship funds for local students. 

"This is where I am most proud, which led me to become a School Board Trustee for North Monterey County Unified School District for ten years. I am currently serving as president for the third time." Over the years, she has embraced new challenges and opportunities that have helped her grow both personally and professionally. Her professional growth continued for 17 years in the human resource and talent acquisition world. She recently left Fox Factory Inc., a suspension manufacturing business, after leading their talent division nationwide.

Martha recently joined the CABE Board as the Region 2 Representative, an opportunity that she says is ironic, given that her father's first case in Castroville involved the removal of a board trustee who had commented that it was a disgrace for a student to read their 8th-grade speech in Spanish. Martha remarks, "It’s amazing how bilingual education has evolved along with embracing the cultures in our schools, something that CABE has been instrumental in making happen."

NMCUSD School Board

Retirement from Fox

Left: Martha with 2023 LULAC scholarship recipients

Right: Portrait of her father, painted by Salinas artist, José Ortiz, presented when he was honored with the LULAC Presidential Award the year after his passing

In her free time, Martha loves volunteering, traveling, swimming, and spending time outdoors, particularly on their boat at the lake. She enjoys playing the guitar at family gatherings. She and her husband, Danny, a retired carpenter, have been married for 41 years and have four children: Daniel (40), Project Executive for Swinerton Construction Company; Mario (36), COO of Thrivesource, Inc., an outsourcing company; Brianna (29), Office Coordinator for a Cabinetry Company who is completing her prerequisites for a nursing program; and Sergio (24), an e-commerce business owner and assistant manager of a shoe company. She says, "I'm very proud that all my children are college graduates and am blessed that my eight grandchildren all live close by."

As Martha Chavarría reflects on the future, she says, "I’m filled with hope and excitement. I’m committed to continuing my journey of growth, seeking new adventures, and making a positive impact in my community. I believe that every day is an opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute to the betterment of our community."T

María "Mari" Valencia, the second oldest and only girl of six siblings, was born in Apatzingán in Michoacan, Mexico. Her father migrated between Mexico and the US starting at 15, working as an auto mechanic and later as a farmworker in Arizona. Her mother was a homemaker who worked in the fields during the summer. Spanish was spoken at home; her father was bilingual, and her mother learned some English by watching soap operas. Her family migrated back and forth until 5th grade, and she has lived in 25 places from childhood to now.

She recalls that the migrant experience was hard but exciting and extremely difficult for her academically. She had to adapt and develop strategies to keep up academically, which resulted in little to no social life. She started first grade as an English learner and says, "It was a huge challenge. Nobody wanted to play with me, and because I was in a pull-out ESL program, I missed most of the classroom activities and rarely saw my classmates. I remember when my ESL teacher was very proud that I had learned to read a paragraph in English. Everyone laughed at me when she asked me to read it to my home class." Today she considers herself fully bilingual/biliterate but says she is still a lifelong learner of English and Spanish. High school was difficult because she was in a different school every year with new friends, new teachers, and a new community. She loved volleyball and became the team captain. Because the ranch she lived on was a long distance from the school, the only reason she was able to participate was because the coach offered to give her a ride. Mari still enjoys volleyball today.

Four months before her high school graduation, Mari's parents decided to move the entire family to Mexico permanently. She had $7,000 in scholarships and had been accepted to CalPoly-Pomona. She told her father, "I don't want to go. I have a future here!" but he insisted, saying, "No, you are the only girl; you have to go." When she replied, "Okay, I'll go, but when I turn 18, I'm coming back to the US on my own," he agreed to let her stay with an aunt in San Bernardino to finish high school. After graduation, she lived independently and attended school full-time while working two part-time jobs. She pursued a B.S. in International Business with minors in Spanish and Management in Human Resources. Today, she aspires to get her master's and doctorate degrees in Psychology.

Mari was the victim of domestic violence, and when her oldest was four and her twins were two months old, she left her husband and went to live in a shelter. She worked as an administrative assistant for a textile company and commuted between Garden Grove and Pomona for 3 years. She got back with her husband, and they bought a house in Ontario. When she was expecting her fourth child, she stopped working and became involved as a parent at her children's school, attending parent meetings in the Ontario-Montclair USD (OMSD). There, she participated in all levels of CABE's Project 2INSPIRE (P2I) program. It motivated her to participate in ELAC, DELAC, and School Site Council. She started presenting P2I workshops in the district and began to realize her potential.

She left her husband a second time, bought a mobile home, and lived alone for another year before returning to her husband again. She worked part-time as a program specialist for a local clinic while conducting CABE parent leadership workshops for three years as a volunteer in OMSD. After a few months, she started working part-time for CABE as a parent and family engagement specialist, left her husband for the third and last time, and filed for divorce.

Mari started working full-time at CABE ten years ago as a Parent Specialist for the Family and Community Engagement (FACE) department. Reflecting on her twenty years with CABE, she says, "I believe in our FACE program and am deeply inspired by Marissa Lazo-Necco, now CABE Board Director of Community Affairs, who led P2I in our district. I am fiercely committed to CABE's FACE program because I lived it; it really worked for me and made a huge difference in my life and that of my kids. Project 2INSPIRE empowered me because it took me out of the tornado I was living in and gave me hope. It helped me to believe in myself and my potential, giving me the tools and knowledge I needed. It made me into a person who could take charge, make better decisions, and change her life. My heart is in this program, and I want to always stay connected with families. We can make a huge difference for parents and for other mothers who are experiencing domestic violence. Families are the cells of humanity."

Mari also teaches faith-based classes for children, youth, and women that focus on principles, values, and character building. When she retires, she wants to work abroad in community building, empowering families with limited resources and marginalized populations. In her free time, she also enjoys hiking, jogging, dancing, and cycling. She loves traveling both in the US and abroad with family: her fiancé, Anthony, retired, and her four children, Ixander (28), who is getting his doctorate in physical therapy; her twins (24), Miguel Angel, an investor and student at CSU Fullerton, and Luis Fernando, an accountant; and Angel Gustavo (20) a student at UC Riverside.

Our chapters are enjoying their summer break!

Check our September issue for back-to-school chapter news and information.

Check out this new resource...

English Learner Roadmap Policy Priorities:

Advancing the Vision

Check out this important update...

AB 2268: Critical Legislation re: DLLs Signed by Governor

PublicServiceDegrees.org has announced the release of a new resource aimed at supporting Hispanic and Latino students in their educational journeys. This guide provides valuable information on scholarships and financial aid specifically designed for these students.

Online Guide to Scholarships for Hispanic and Latino Students:  https://www.publicservicedegrees.org/financial-aid/scholarships/hispanic-latino-students/ [publicservicedegrees.org]

This guide offers insights into a variety of scholarships available to Hispanic and Latino students, helping them overcome financial barriers to education. It includes application tips, eligibility criteria, and additional resources to support their academic and professional growth. This resource aims to empower students by providing the best opportunities to fund their education.

Sharing this resource can significantly help Hispanic and Latino students by providing them with the guidance and support they need to succeed.

For More Information, please contact: 

Kyle Smith

Community Outreach Specialist

kyle@outreach.publicservicedegrees.org

Contact the editor: Laurie Miles, Communications Manager, laurie@gocabe.org