Educational Equity Emancipation
“We have to do better”… That’s Dr. Almitra Berry’s heart-felt answer when asked about educating children from diverse cultural and language backgrounds.
Dr. Berry has a strong message for educators and school system leaders who don’t understand that cultural differences can profoundly affect the quality of education these children experience…
“You have children with failing test scores. You have teachers who want to teach but aren’t given the freedom or allowed to use the tools and strategies they need. You have teachers leaving the profession in droves.
And you have tax-paying parents who are very dissatisfied with their children’s education but don’t know how to effect change.”
In other words, our education system has a crisis on its hands. And this crisis affects all of us, not just teachers and those in the educational establishment.
It’s a crisis we must address if we’re going to have an exceptional nation with school systems free of systemic oppression.
We need to take it to heart. We need to act on Dr. Berry’s message. It’s a message she’s deeply passionate about.
As an educator, speaker, and author, she focuses on the education of the most historically marginalized: culturally and linguistically diverse learners.
She has worked diligently for over 30 years to help marginalized learners, learners of color, of linguistic and cultural diversity in low-wealth urban school districts, experience higher academic achievements.
Dr. Berry is on a mission. A mission bigger than herself. A mission to change the conversation happening around the topics of education, equity, and intellectual emancipation for culturally and linguistically diverse learners.
But she can’t do it alone. So she’s looking for leaders to join her. Is that you?
If you’re nodding your head and saying “Yes!” as you read this, we invite you to subscribe and listen to The Educational Equity, Emancipation Podcast.
Educational Equity Emancipation
Episode 85: Education Equity and Reform: A Conversation with Florida State Representative Susan Valdes
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🎙️ Don't miss Episode 85 of the 3E Podcast: "Education Equity and Reform: A Conversation with Florida State Representative Susan Valdes"!
Join Dr. Almitra Berry and special guest Susan Valdes, Florida State Representative, as they dive deep into critical topics like education and prison reform.
Explore the challenges of immigration, language barriers, and cultural identity, and learn about ongoing efforts to achieve equity in education, particularly for marginalized groups.
Discover how political influence shapes education policy and the impact of immigration policies on marginalized communities.
Tune in to gain valuable insights and be part of the conversation on education equity with Susan Valdes!
Representative Susan Lopez-Valdés was born the first-generation child of Cuban immigrants in New York City, NY and lived in the Bronx until moving to Hialeah, Florida at the age of 8. She would permanently resettle in Tampa a short time later. Rep. Valdés worked as a health practice administrator until winning a seat on the Hillsborough County School Board in 2004, where she served for 14 years until resigning to run for the Florida House of Representatives in 2018. She holds a Master's degree in organizational leadership from Manhattan College and Bachelor’s from Nova Southeastern University in Business administration and management. Representative Valdés has served in the Florida House since 2018, where she currently sits on the Education & Employment Committee, Ways & Means Committee, Regulatory Reform & Economic Development Subcommittee, and is the Ranking Democratic Member on the Choice & Innovation Subcommittee and Justice Appropriations Subcommittee. She is a vocal advocate in support of public education and prison reform. Her one piece of advice she shares with students is that “an education can never be erased.” She and her husband Gerry have three children and four grandchildren.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-valdes-a18a275a/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SusanLValdesFL
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SusanLValdesFL/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanlvaldesfl/
We encourage all listeners to MyFloridaHouse.gov and use the “Find Your Representative” feature, to learn who your elected State Representative and State Senators are: https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/FindYourRepresentative. Visit Representative Susan Valdes Official page on Florida House of Representatives website, viewers can see all filed bills (current and past), contact info, and general info: https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4752&LegislativeTermId=90
Any other contact information that is to be made public.
Office of State Representative Susan Valdes (813)673-4673
Rep Valdes Cell (813)500-9963 Office (813)673-4673
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