Four "Consejeras" (Counselors) share their Latina heritage as they work to connect with parents

In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, we are spotlighting the important work of four Latina MDUSD counselors who are on a mission to engage with families—especially our Latinx parents—to ensure our Latinx parents know they are welcome and vital partners with the District in their children's educational journey.   

As Mexican-American bilingual first generation college graduates who are fluent in both English and Spanish, Angela Ordaz, Yaretzie Amaya, Marcie Torres and Leidi Arias bring unique perspectives to the campuses where they work with students, as well as to the "Coffee with the Counselors" or "Cafecito con las Consejeras" gatherings they host each year to partner with parents in unpacking how to navigate MDUSD's educational system and affirming that their involvement in their children's schools is essential. This year’s Cafecitos are planned for Oct. 28 at Holbrook Language Academy, and Jan. 27th and April 23rd at either Mt. Diablo HS or Shore Acres Elementary. They were attracted to MDUSD because of its stated commitment to "disrupt systemic racism," which in the past has made it hard for students and families of color to feel connected to their school communities. 

But after coming to MDUSD and enthusiastically embracing the goal to help all students and families feel welcome and included, they noticed that some MDUSD staff members did not appear to understand why or how to do that or even intend to do that. Ordaz recalls one MDUSD staff member insisting that MDUSD staff members are the experts on our students, and Arias recalls another saying that some parents didn't seem to care about school. The four Latina counselors, who had experienced this kind of dismissive attitude in their own K-12 educations, pushed back against this "deficit narrative," which focuses on what a student or family may lack. Instead, they approached their work with an "asset-driven" mindset that focuses on "the greatness, strengths and gifts that our students and families come to us with," Ordaz says. "Seeing them as partners means really seeing all that they have to offer."

They came up with the idea to host "Cafecito con las Consejeras" as a forum to connect with our Latinx families that some staff members in MDUSD may have dismissed. These Cafecitos are targeted Latinx parent engagement gatherings; however, all are welcome. These Cafecitos have already been attended by Board Members and other educators in MDUSD looking to encourage more Latinx families to attend. These quarterly Saturday gatherings are first and foremost to connect with families authentically and respectfully with a spirit of give and take, offering support and affirmation and also listening carefully to what parents say they need from MDUSD. The Consejeras facilitate the gatherings in Spanish and English translation is available. "We are disrupting the narrative that our students and families are lacking and 'need' us to save them or 'teach' them," Ordaz says. "Our students and families don't need us to save them. If we are truly partners with students and families, then we are engaging in a reciprocal connection that centers their humanity and our humanity, and the opportunity to learn, share and empower goes both ways." Besides hosting the Cafecito gatherings, they have also created cultural displays explaining the history behind Dia de Los Muertos and celebrating the Afro Latino culture and BIPOC women in history to help families feel connected to the District and help those who are not familiar with these topics to better understand them.

The passion and the fire is there," they said, not only to serve families but to show others that effective connections can be made simply by reaching out. "The other piece of our passion is knowing the District's students are 44% Latino," Ordaz said. Having attended schools themselves where they didn't have teachers or counselors who looked like them or understood their cultures, they are determined not to let MDUSD's Latinx students and families feel the same isolation or lack of encouragement that they felt. "I went to Meadow Homes Elementary," said Torres, 30, who now works at Shore Acres Elementary. "I looked like a lot of my peers, but I didn't have any teachers who looked like me. Then my parents transferred me to Diablo View MS and that was a culture shock because I couldn't relate to my teachers or my peers. I was one of three Latina students and I felt I was falling through the cracks." She graduated from Pittsburg HS without ever speaking to a counselor and didn’t realize until she entered college how helpful counselors could be. Ordaz was discouraged from applying to four-year universities by her high school counselor, who told her Latina students would be better off going to community college because they don't tend to do well in the more rigorous UC Educational System. Ordaz is thankful she knew her own capabilities and strengths. She applied to and graduated from her first-choice university – UC Davis. Arias was encouraged to attend a Chicanx/Latinx youth leadership conference by her high school counselor, which she said “was a game-changer for me because I had the opportunity to meet and learn from professionals who look like me.” And Amaya, who attended a private school on a scholarship, said most of her classmates had parents who were college graduates, so she felt embarrassed to ask for help with her FAFSA and college applications, and had to figure all that out by herself. Drawing on both their positive and negative personal experiences with their own counselors, they feel driven to be game-changers for the students and families they serve.

The Consejeras have intentionally started small and slow to go far. Last year, they held two Cafecito gatherings. This school year, they are doubling them to four and they have already had their first one at the MDUSD Parent Conference in August. The counselors are encouraged by the difference they are already making. They have connected with families who come from many different countries, such as Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Peru, and Nicaragua, including many with college degrees from their native countries. "We ask: 'What do you need from us? What can we share with the District from you? How can we serve as that bridge?" said Ordaz, 41, who works at Holbrook Language Academy and Mountain View Elementary. "We have lots of laughter. We have tears. We have testimony that is shared. We always run out of time to answer questions. Those are our indicators. Parents are showing vulnerability, trust and wanting to have more time with us because they know that we are truly here to serve them." Arias, 32, who works with Amaya at Mt. Diablo HS, said it’s humbling to listen to parents' stories. "We learn from them," she said, "so it’s a very mutual relationship." Amaya, 30, said two parents who recently attended a "Muffins with McCain" Principal meeting smiled and waved to her, saying, "We're here! You said to come to the meetings," after the counselors had told parents their voices are needed at school meetings and they can ask for Spanish translation. "We just love building relationships with our families and we want them to get to know us," Amaya said, adding that some parents now greet them with hugs, as though they are part of their families. "It's really heartwarming." These consejeras are truly grateful to have each other as a collective, their ongoing support from Student Services Director Felicia Stuckey-Smith, who has mentored them on school systems, their unwavering support from all three of their site principals and from MDUSD Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark, who has set the expectation that ALL means ALL.

Dr. Clark said he really appreciates the effort the counselors are making to engage with students and families. "They’re student-centered and are adjusting to the needs of our students and families," he said. "I think what they’ve been doing by being proactive is something that should be a model for all of us." 

You can read more about their work last year in the 2022-23 Friday Letter Year In Review under “Special Events and Outreach.”