HISPANIC HERITAGE & PRINCIPALSHIP
As a Latina principal serving families in Pilsen and Little Village Communities, Hispanic Heritage Month holds both deep orgullo and quiet responsabilidad. For me, leadership is not only about raising academic outcomes—it is about honoring the lived experiences of our scholars and families, many of whom navigate a political and social climate that can feel uncertain or even hostile. My journey into education began as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, where I learned that true change happens through relationships and through centering the social and emotional well-being of children. Today, as a school leader, I bring at can feel uncertain or even n began as a Licensed Clinical hat true change happens through ing the social and emotional s a school leader, I bring every policy, every sit is an opportunity to e child? Are we we creating spaces ? minds me that our that same lens to principalship: every policy, every conversación, every classroom visit is an opportunity to ask— Are we nurturing the whole child? Are we affirming their identidad? Are we creating spaces where they feel safe and seen? Hispanic Heritage Month reminds me that our As a Latina principal serving NANCY QUINTANA Y ANA families in Pilsen and Little Village Month holds both deep orgullo me, leadership is not only about about honoring the lived families, many of whom navigate families in Pilsen and Little
culturas, lenguajes, and historias are not simply to be celebrated in the months of September and October, but woven into the fabric of our schools year-round. s are not onths of ven into und. For the families I serve, many of whom balance resilience with vulnerabilidad, it is my role to ensure their children experience school as a place of belonging, dignidad, and possibility. Leadership, for me, is an act of service and advocacy. It is about creating a school where social-emotional learning is not a program,but a promise—a promise that every child’s herencia, voz, and futuro matter. an act of t creating a earning is not a se that every matter. sure as a nd
26 • CPAA MAGAZINE | OCT 2025
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