I Came to the U.S. at 13 and Now I’m Headed to UC Santa Barbara to Become a Mechanical Engineer

I was anxious, nervous and excited. At the age of 13, I was finally going to meet my mother. I was born in Los Angeles,…

Afi Tagnedji’s Making Sure Students’ Voices Are Heard in the Equity Conversation

Everyone is talking about how schools should care about equity for their students, but that can’t be the whole conversation. Equity has to mean more…

Here’s Why I’ve Joined Teachers Calling For an End to Detaining Children at Our Border

From the deepest core of my being, I am a teacher against child detention. To choose to separate children from their families for political reasons…

I Visited a School on the Border and, Get This, the Kids Are Like Kids Everywhere

When Alicia Johal texted me directions to her school, she added, “Oh, and make sure you and your driver are watching the exits. We’re just…

11 Inspiring Stories That Got Us Through 2018

We made it through 2018, perhaps a little bruised but as energized as ever to tackle the challenges in education in the year to come.…

I’m a DACA Recipient and a First-Generation College Graduate and I’m Nervous About What’s Next

It’s a day I’ll never forget: September 5, 2017, the first day of my senior year at NYU. It was the day the Trump administration…

How I’m Using My Story as a Homeless Student to Help Students Turn Trauma Into Strengths

By the time I was 15 years old, I was living on my own, and mostly homeless. My parents were undocumented immigrants. I didn’t know…

I’m an Education Advocate and That’s Why I Can’t (and Won’t) Sit Out the Immigration Fight

It can be tempting for education advocates to see immigration as a related, but not overlapping, issue. For folks accustomed to thinking about school funding…

I’m an Immigrant and a Student and My Voice Matters

When I was about 7 years old, I immigrated to the United States from Mexico. It was 2008 and I arrived in New York City…

Because of Trump, My Students Are Returning to Their Native Country. We Can Do Better.

On the last day of school, sisters Sandy and Veronica, former students of mine, came to say goodbye. Sandy handed me flowers, a thank you…