South Whittier Elementary School DistrictCandidate for Board Member

I was born and raised in South Whittier by two working-class Mexican immigrant parents. At an early age, I witnessed firsthand the disparities in educational attainment caused by income inequality. While I was able to celebrate my own academic successes, I understood that my experience was unique and began noticing the struggles my classmates faced and how much harder they had to work in school to barely get by. I also soon realized that these disparities were not applicable to all Whittier students. I asked myself: How is it that two elementary schools, located within one mile from each other, could have such drastically polar scores simply because they fell within different districts. It was clear to me, then, that the future of my peers and mine was predetermined by what part of the city we grew up in. This is the same reality our students face today.

As a governing board member I want to ensure that our students have the right to dream of higher education, and for those that dream it, achieve it. I will maintain a student-focused framework. I believe as a member of the board I can work to ensure fiscal accountability with district resources to ensure that the funds are utilized to best benefit the students. I will work towards guaranteeing that our teachers feel heard and supported. I will work towards building a stronger collaboration between the school board, community, and staff. I believe that talent is evenly-distributed in our society but opportunity is not. We owe it to our students. They deserve the opportunity to succeed, and I believe that the time is now!  With your help and contributions we can ensure my candidacy and ensure a brighter future for South Whittier.