Belginy is a second-year student at Century College, where she studies Early Elementary Education. 她也是 拉丁运动的主席, through which she helped organize a celebration for Hispanic Heritage Month. She just started last semester with 数学队; she plans to teach elementary school 和 ultimately become a principal.
What led you to become a tutor with 数学队?
My brother is the reason why I want to become a tutor 和 ultimately a teacher or principal. I’ve always been a second mom to him, 和 I’ve always helped him with his homework. 也, my whole life, I’ve always been involved in working with people 和 helping with people. I am a Sunday school teacher 和 I am also a youth leader at my church. 这一直是我喜欢的事情.
My principal introduced me to the students 和 referred to me as Ms. 洛佩兹. 他们称我为. 洛佩兹 makes me know that I’m getting closer to my dream of becoming an educator. I’m genuinely so thankful that I’m a part of 数学队 和 to serve with the people I do.
What makes you excited to serve with 数学队?
I’m just so excited to see the growth of the students. I know right now some of them need extra support. 我明白了. 我在那里. I went to a Spanish immersion school for K-3, so I learned in Spanish. When I went to a public school in fourth grade, I was nowhere near a fourth grade reading level in English. My teacher dedicated so much time to helping me, 和 I even surpassed that level at the end of the year. I hope that I can be that for the students 和 help them be where they’re supposed to be.
You’ve mentioned that you want to be a principal. 是什么吸引你担任这个角色?
As a teacher, I’ll be helping the kids 和 I’ll also learn about what they need. 作为校长，我可以运用它. At the level of principal, I could do even more for the kids. 我是个有很多目标的人. Once I reach one goal, I like to ask, what’s my next goal?
也, 明尼苏达州只有1%的教师是拉丁裔, 在行政层面, 甚至更少. There needs to be more principals of color because all the needs are not being met for students of color. I know at that level I could keep doing more to help break barriers 和 introduce new solutions.
Being bilingual yourself, what’s it been like working with bilingual students?
When I first met the students, I saw the way that they got excited when they learned I’m bilingual. I think in Spanish 和 English, 和 I’ve been translating my whole life. 他们知道我懂. I know what it’s like to not know how to say something in one language, but know it in another. 我能看出来他们越来越舒服了, 不仅仅是拉丁裔学生, but other students who are growing up in immigrant households.
Could you share more about your leadership in Movimiento LatinX at Century College?
我是拉丁x运动的主席, which is a student organization at Century College that works to celebrate 和 promote education in Latinx/e culture. We hosted a Hispanic Heritage Month speaker event to connect our students with lots of different organizations 和 a panel of experts who spoke about breaking barriers in education. We’re also creating a campaign about being first-generation 和 Latinx/e, which will represent people who are the first in their family to study in the U.S.或者是第一个上大学的. The thought behind the campaign is, we are the first generation, 和 we won’t be the last.
这也是我的动力. I’m the first, but I will not be the last, 和 I’ll make sure of it. And I want to be part of the solution 和 help break barriers.
You’re involved in so much on campus, plus classes. 你如何平衡这一切?
I worked with my site to make a schedule that fits with my school, 我的学习, 还有其他领导力方面的事情. 学校里的每个人都很棒.
I will say it is a little hard, but it’s not impossible. My mom always says there’s a solution to everything, 和 it’s true. 我喜欢服务，我喜欢帮助别人. 我喜欢当领导. 这一切都取决于我的优先级.
谁能激励你?
我的家人是我的燃料. My family always believed in me, always, always. Working towards being an educator is a big deal to me because I’m going to be the first to be a professional in my family. I’m also doing it for my brother who needs to know that yeah, we can do it.
S和y Pulles (ServeMinnesota’s VP of Equity 和 Inclusion) also really motivates me. I met her when I was interning at LatinoLEAD. I want to be an example for others – 和 she’s my example. She’s doing a lot of work for our community 和 in the education system. That’s kind of what I want to do but in a different way. 如果她能做到，我也能做到. She’s checked in on me 和 been really supportive.
你还想分享什么?
在一天结束的时候, what makes me want to cry is being able to be in that classroom 和 being able to work one-on-one with kids. 我只是很兴奋能去那里.
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