WASHINGTON – Today, Latino Victory Fund endorsed a slate of school board candidates including Janelle Astorga for District 1 Albuquerque Public Schools in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Jaime Martinez for North Allegheny School Board in McCandless, Pennsylvania.
Latino Victory Fund President & CEO Sindy Benavides released the following statement:
“Education is a basic human right for all – yet, far too often, systemic barriers prevent children in our communities from fulfilling their potential. Education has become a battleground issue, with extremists now looking to censure books and erase Latino stories and history. Now more than ever, our communities deserve school board leaders who will ensure the next generation receives a quality education by creating a level playing field for all children and supporting those who need it most. Seventy percent of Latino voters named quality education a top issue at the ballot box, according to the Pew Research Center. This is why Latino Victory is thrilled to endorse two young Latino school board candidates committed to defending public schools and the right of all students to have access to enriching educational experiences that will help them succeed.
“Janelle Astorga and Jaime Martinez are tireless advocates for public education who are products of the school systems they now seek to serve. They are a testament that all across the country, Latino leaders are stepping up to fight for working families and our communities. Whether it’s in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where Latinos are a majority of the school district’s enrollment, or North Allegheny, Pennsylvania, where Hispanics are a growing minority of young people, Latino leaders should be at every table where decisions are being made—especially when it comes to our children’s education. Latino Victory is proud to stand by Janelle and Jaime as they advocate for students, educators, and public schools—and fight for a better tomorrow.”
More About the Candidates
Jaime Martinez for North Allegheny School Board
- Jaime Martinez graduated from North Allegheny in 2020 and is pursuing a Public Health and International Studies Degree at John Hopkins University.
- Jaime served two terms as a School Board Representative at North Allegheny and four years on the district’s Diversity Committee.
- He co-founded NA For Change, a grassroots coalition focused on improving the educational experience of all students at North Allegheny.
You can learn more about Jaime Martinez’s campaign here.
Janelle Astorga for District 1 Albuquerque Public Schools
- Janelle Astorga is a product of the Albuquerque Public School system.
- Janelle is studying Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Cornell University and will utilize her training to bring an anti-racist lens to the Albuquerque Public School Board.
- Astorga’s platform includes the development of Bilingual Education Studies to better serve the 20% of English language learners in Albuquerque Public Schools – the school district also hosts 80% minority enrollment, 66.7% of which is Latino.
You can learn more about Janelle Astorga’s campaign here.
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The Latino Victory Fund is a progressive political action committee with the mission of growing Latino political power by increasing Latino representation at every level of government – from the school board to the Senate to the White House.
