THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of Communications
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22, 2015
White House Honors DACAmented Teachers “Champions of Change”
WASHINGTON, DC – On Friday, July 24th the White House will honor nine educators with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status as “Champions of Change.” On June 15, 2012, President Obama announced that the Department of Homeland Security would establish DACA, which allows select undocumented individuals who came to the United States as children and meet several guidelines to obtain temporary relief from removal and to apply for work authorization. Since the 2012 announcement, more than 650,000 people have received DACA and many of those individuals have chosen to take on work in critical fields of service to the nation. Among them are DACA recipients taking on the challenging and noble work of being a teacher. This event will honor nine such teachers who have been strong role models for students and families as well as change agents within their communities. The program will feature remarks by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council Cecilia Muñoz, and actress and immigrants' rights advocate Diane Guerrero.
The Champions of Change program was created as an opportunity for the White House to feature individuals doing extraordinary things to empower and inspire members of their communities. Video will be available following the event here: >http://go.wh.gov/DACAmentedTeachers<. To learn more about the White House Champions of Change program, visit >www.whitehouse.gov/champions<. Follow the conversation at #WHChamps.
Jaime Ballesteros, Los Angeles, California
Jaime Ballesteros was born in the Philippines and is a recipient of DACA. His passion for service and education began in high school, where he received support and mentorship from teachers who helped him apply to colleges despite his immigration status. Hoping to have this same impact on others, Jaime joined Teach for America as a 2014 California Corps Member after earning his B.A. from Drew University. He is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Urban Education at Loyola Marymount University, while working as a high school chemistry teacher at Animo College Preparatory Academy, a public charter school in the heart of the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Maria Dominguez, Austin, Texas
Maria Dominguez, MEd, is a DACAmented First Grade Bilingual Teacher in Austin, Texas. She is a union leader and member of Education Austin/AFT, a union for certified and classified school district employees. She has worked with her union to offer citizenship drives, educational forums and DACA clinics in conjunction with United We Dream, the Equal Justice Center and the Mexican Consulate along with other local organizations. As part of her work, she has attended DACA implementation trainings outside of Texas and presented on the work that Education Austin/AFT is doing to help and inform the immigrant community.
Yara Hidalgo, San Jose, California
Yara Cipatlic Hidalgo serves as a middle school Math and Spanish Teacher at Sacred Heart Nativity Schools in San Jose, California. She also attends Santa Clara University’s Master of Arts in Teaching for Catholic Schools Teacher program. As a facilitator of ALearn’s College Readiness Program for incoming high school freshmen in the East Side of San Jose where she grew up, Yara inspires and motivates students to ensure academic success and pursue higher education. She is a member of the Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley and participates in the Engaged Latina Leadership Activist Program where she undertakes pertinent issues, such as wage theft, affecting Latina women in the Silicon Valley. Yara constantly strives to educate and empower youth and women to rise above society’s expectations to be strong leaders in their community.
Kasfia Islam, Houston, Texas
Kasfia Islam, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies at The University of Texas at Austin in spring of 2013. While attending The University of Texas, she interned for a nonprofit organization, Texans Care for Children, which advocates for children’s rights in state policy concerning child protective services, juvenile justice, mental wellness, health and fitness, and early childhood education and opportunities. After graduating from UT, she worked as a Youth Development Professional at the Boys and Girls Club of Austin, providing afterschool programs to underserved schools throughout the community. She currently serves as a 2014 Teach for America Corps Member, and is passionate about closing the education gap in the Greater Houston area. Kasfia teaches Pre-Kindergarten at Shadow Oaks Elementary in Spring Branch Independent School District, a district northwest of Houston.
Luis Juarez-Trevino, Dallas, Texas
Luis Juarez-Trevino serves as a 5th Grade Math and Science Bilingual Teacher for William Lipscomb Elementary School in the Dallas Independent School District. A native of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, his family immigrated to the United States in October of 2004 with hopes of having more economic and educational opportunities. Juarez earned his B.S. in Applied Learning and Development with a specialization in Bilingual Education from the University of Texas at Austin in May of 2014; during his time at UT Austin, he was an active member and executive officer of the Bilingual Education Student Organization, and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) council #4799. He continues to focus on students’ personal and academic growth by building strong parent-teacher relationships that foster parent involvement and education; additionally, he emphasizes establishing meaningful connections with his students through continuous motivation, home visits, and by providing culturally responsive content.
Marissa Molina, Denver, Colorado
Marissa Molina teaches Spanish for Native Speakers at the Denver School of Science and Technology: GVR High School. She joined the fight for educational equity in 2014 as a Teach for America Colorado Corps Member and she is currently completing a public policy fellowship with the Women’s Foundation of Colorado. In her classroom, Marissa implements and modifies a curriculum that validates the cultures of her students, while refining their language skills. Through inspiring discussions, readings, and projects she helps them develop their critical thinking skills about the world around them.
Dinorah Flores Perez, Navajo, New Mexico
Dinorah Flores Perez is the daughter of Mexican and Salvadorian parents. She grew up in Seattle, attended the University of Washington as an undergraduate, and is currently getting her Master’s degree at the University of New Mexico. Dinorah loves teaching and is a strong advocate for social justice. Throughout her career, she has always focused on work she believes in. She currently works as an elementary school teacher at Navajo, New Mexico. Dinorah is also a mix-media artist and, in her spare time, she enjoys painting with her niece.
David Liendo Uriona, Denver, Colorado
David Liendo Uriona, a Colorado Corps Member of Teach for America 2014, teaches at High Tech Early College in Denver, Colorado. As a first year teacher, he committed himself to serving and advocating for social change. He works with families to empower and engage members of his community to increase awareness of the issues affecting undocumented students. Liendo is a leader and organizer among other DREAMers and young undocumented students in Denver. At High Tech Early College, he started the first National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society and was appointed to the chair position of the English Language Acquisition department. He also serves as an inspirational speaker for Denver Public Schools and new Corps members of TFA.
Rosario Quiroz Villarreal, Pharr, Texas
Rosario Quiroz Villarreal is a 4th grade bilingual teacher at Alvarez Elementary with McAllen Independent School District. She moved to the Rio Grande Valley, on the United States-Mexico border, through Teach for America as a 2014 Texas Corps member. Teach for America seeks to strengthen the movement for educational equity, which aligns with Rosario’s two passions of working for social justice and with children from underrepresented communities. Rosario has previously worked with youth through the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County, North Carolina as Program Staff; and Momentum Alliance in Portland, Oregon as a grant writer and youth coach.
