Minerva Garcia-Sanchez

My story

Born and raised in Chicago, eldest daughter of immigrants, living in Little Village, I know first hand what it feels like to be one of my students. I know the struggle to work and make ends meet and maintain family, culture, and home language. I understand that culturally, the teacher/"La Maestra," is the one who is respected. I work towards ensuring the culture and specialness that every child/family brings to the school community is respected and not lost, while ensuring the adults in our schools will help remove barriers and teach our students their self worth and the worth of all humanity and civic duty as they develop the leaders of tomorrow. I stand next to and behind to continually advocate for the improvement of every neighborhood, every community, every school because every child is worth and deserves it.

Why I do the work I do

I am that child, that sister, that mom...they are my why.

My equity challenge and how I work on it

I need to remove biases between races, cultures, and self to help escape the cycle that holds our communities back.

What sustains me when equity work stalls, how do I stay motivated when the work gets hard, and how do I push myself and others to advance equity

I go into the community to listen for what I am not seeing; and listen to those speak who normally don't request an audience. I observe the movements of families, not just what they do or don't say. Their humbleness doesn't speak for them loudly enough.

Additional comments

Equity must be the basis of the work before we can remove the barriers to equality and access.

Resources used to drive equity work

Equity Framework; Network Strategic Plan; School's CIWP; Instructional Core Walk Tool.