By: Jorge Fanjul, Executive Director, Massachusetts

I was fortunate to have had Latino educators and mentors in my life, so I know the power of an educator who can affirm a student’s identity. Education is the foundation for so many other factors in a person’s success, so ensuring we provide our students with windows, where a student can see a bright future, and mirrors, where they see themselves reflected in their educators, in the classroom is crucial. As the new Executive Director for Massachusetts at Latinos for Education, it’s now my responsibility to ensure that more students in the state get to experience this in their own educational journey and I couldn’t be more excited to lead this work.    

And believe it or not, even as a New York native, I’m thrilled to be living in Massachusetts.   

As a bit of a history wonk, I feel a deep connection to this region because of its history as a trailblazer. This is the home of the first public school in the United States. This is where the American Revolution started. The first mass transit system in the country was built here. So, when I think about cities that are special and revolutionary, Boston is THE place. I know Massachusetts residents don’t accept the status quo and neither will I. For far too long, Massachusetts has been ranked at the top for education in our nation, but Latino students are left behind. I’m here to be a part of the change that disrupts the status quo. 

Latinos for Education’s regional and national work, tackling issues at both a micro and macro level, is critical to pulling levers for positive change. In my career, I’ve learned that you must do the work locally while working outward towards national solutions, and Latinos for Education really has its hand on the pulse of both. 

We are resolute in championing Latino communities, who have too often been put on the sidelines due to systemic barriers in education. We believe in creating opportunities for our community by redefining the education ecosystem with increased Latino representation and developing our educators, leaders, and families into advocates. We believe in giving people the tools they need to succeed while removing the barriers they face by advocating for policies that are equitable. 

As a Cuban American, I can attest to how policies of equity can affect a community positively. When my family immigrated here, this country gave us the tools we needed to write our own stories of success, and we did. We are Latinos who were given a fair chance to succeed. That can’t be said for many in the Latino community. 

When you allow people to not only have a chance, but when you really tip the scales and incorporate additional support systems, then that’s when they flourish. In Massachusetts, we’ve been fortunate that many barriers have been removed through policy, but the work needs to continue moving forward. Together with our legislators, my hope is that through our work at Latinos for Education, we can advance many more policies that remove barriers for Latino educators and students. 

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Jorge D. Fanjul serves as Latinos for Education’s Executive Director for the Massachusetts region. He is a career public administrator and public policy expert with over 15 years of experience advising and collaborating with elected officials and agency heads on implementing new approaches to tackle old problems, with the goal of helping government better serve the public, particularly for those in marginalized communities. His work with municipalities has been aimed at envisioning a world where the relationship between the public and government is restored by centering community voices. Raised by a single mother who immigrated as a refugee from Cuba, he is the first in his family to attend college and knows the importance and power of having educators be representative of their communities. He holds degrees from Stony Brook University, Queens College of the City University of New York, and Georgetown University.