Familias Latinas Por La Educación engages Latino parents and guardians to develop priorities and solutions they want to see in their local schools 

Salem, Mass. – Latinos For Education’s inaugural cohort of Familias Latinas Por La Educación in Massachusetts recently met with Salem Public Schools Superintendent Stephen Zrike and school committee members Verónica Miranda and Manny Cruz to share their educational priorities and ideas. The eight parents who participated in the spring fellowship raised concerns and solutions for issues such as communication gaps between schools and Latino parents, and bullying. Familias Latinas Por La Educación is a leadership development fellowship that works with the adult relatives of Latino students who attend Salem Public Schools.  

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 district 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 Jorge Fanjul, Executive Director of Latinos for Education – Massachusetts. “With the increasing diversity of our student population, not just in Salem, but across the Commonwealth, we need spaces that give 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 47% of the student population in Salem, therefore it is critical that their parents and guardians have a voice in the school district and local schools. The parents who took part in Familias Latinas Por La Educación in Salem are from the Dominican Republic, Brazil and Haiti, and include: 

  • Yenny Andujar 
  • Nalva Duarte 
  • Stephanie German 
  • Marleny Hernandez 
  • Valerie Joseph 
  • Francisca “Mariela” Lara 
  • Raquel Rodriguez 
  • Maria “Yaira” Ruiz

“I decided to be part of this fellowship to learn about the opportunities available to the community. Often, the Latino community is unaware of these opportunities – primarily because of the language barrier,” said Yenny Andujar, a parent of two children who attend Salem Public Schools. “Thanks to this fellowship, we are now aware of how our education system works and can find resources and look for programs that help our children.”  

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. 

Media Relations Contact:

Marisa Villa
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(210) 535-6525