What happens to students when they don’t see themselves reflected in the teachers and administrators around them? How can associations foster belonging for members who often feel like the “only one” in their professional environment?

 In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Edgar Palacios, Founder and CEO of the Latinx Education Collaborative (LEC). Edgar discusses:

• The founding vision of LEC: to dramatically increase Latino educator representation to better serve Latino students in Kansas City and beyond.
• How Edgar was inspired to start LEC after visiting a school that had 99.9% Latino students and zero educators of color.
• Why representation matters: students experience stronger identity, engagement, and academic performance when they see themselves in their educators.
• The challenges Latino educators face as often the sole representative of their community in a school, taking on unofficial roles like translator, cultural broker, and emotional support provider.
• The alarming gap between student and educator demographics: 25% of K-12 students are Latino, yet only about 2% of teachers are Latino nationally (and closer to 1% in Kansas City).
• LEC’s Expresión program, which helps Latino educators build identity-based storytelling skills to empower themselves and inspire their students.
• LEC’s Futuros initiative, aimed at bringing 50 new Latino educators to Kansas City by 2027 — a significant boost from the current ~300 educators.
• How LEC provides community and mental health affirmation for isolated educators who may be questioning whether they belong in the profession.
• The importance of collecting both quantitative data and qualitative stories to document impact and secure funding.
• Edgar’s strong belief in leaning into joy, identity, and authenticity even amid a challenging political climate.

References:

• LEC Website