September 15 – October 15 marks Hispanic Heritage Month — a time to pay tribute to the historic and current contributions of Latino Americans who have influenced and enriched our nation.

For the next 30 days, Ed Trust will be sharing quotes from Latino Americans who inspire us, and stories of advocates around the country who are working to improve educational justice for Latino students.

As we celebrate the richness and diversity that Latino culture brings to American society, it’s important to acknowledge the inequities and injustices that Latinos still face in this country, including in education. Nearly 30% of the K-12 student body identifies as Latino, and they remain underserved and underrepresented in U.S. schools. Education equity can level the playing field. Whether it’s recruiting more Latino teachers or ensuring that Latino students have access to advance coursework, there are so many ways in which school and district leaders can create safe, diverse, and welcoming learning environments for Latino students — so they can grow up to live the lives of their choosing.

“In a city with 45% Latinos and in a school district (Houston Independent School District) with 62% Latino students, it was evident that the voices of our Latino families were missing in the decision-making process. We set out to change that by preparing and equipping families in education advocacy.”

– Sandra Rodriguez, Advocacy Director at Latinos for Education