Tag Archives: Latino American Teachers

California teacher Maria Lopez worked to secure the right to vote for women

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Dedicated English as a Second Language teacher Maria Lopez worked diligently towards securing the right to vote for women in California. Photo Credit: National Women’s History Museum 

There are many dedicated women educators who worked tirelessly to secure the right to vote for women. One of these was Maria Lopez, an English teacher from Southern California.

Maria Guadalupe Evangelina de Lopez was born in Los Angeles in 1881, at Casa Vieja, her family home in the San Gabriel. Her father, who worked as a blacksmith, was an immigrant from Mexico.

As a young girl, Maria graduated from Pasadena High School in 1897. She then enrolled at the Los Angeles State Normal School, which would later become UCLA. There she studied to be a teacher. Once she earned her teaching certificate, Maria accepted a position at Los Angeles High School, where she taught English as a Second Language. She also worked as a translator. During her years as a professional educator, Maria earned a reputation for being a devoted teacher, working diligently to educate the general public about California culture and to promote Spanish-language instruction. In 1902, Maria became part of the faculty at the University of California, becoming possibly the youngest instructor on staff there at the time.

In addition to teaching at the university, Maria became active in the local Votes for Women Club, and in 1911, she was elected President of the College Equal Suffrage League. She translated information about the suffrage movement into Spanish in order to marshal support for the movement in the Hispanic community. She traveled throughout Southern California, distributing suffrage posters and literature and giving speeches, all in Spanish. In addition, she wrote a persuasive opinion piece published in the Los Angeles Herald on Aug. 20, 1911, which advanced the argument that California could not call itself a democracy while disenfranchising half its citizens. Happily, California passed a suffrage proposition on Oct. 10, 1911, becoming the sixth state in the nation to grant the right to vote to women, nine years before the passage of the 19th Amendment.

During World War I, Maria left her teaching position to support the war effort. She relocated to New York City, where she took courses in auto mechanics and flying. Then she traveled to France, where she served as an ambulance driver. While there, the hospital where Maria and three other women were stationed was bombarded by enemy fire, and the four worked all night carrying wounded soldiers to safety. The French government honored the four women for their bravery in 1918.

Maria passed away on Nov. 20, 1977, in Orange, California. This intrepid Chalkboard Champion is buried at San Gabriel Christian Church in Los Angeles.

Florida teacher Lizbet Martinez immigrated to US as a 12-year-old

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Florida teacher Lizbet Martinez fled the repressive Castro regime and came to the United States on a raft when she was just a child. Photo credit: The Buffalo News

Many dedicated educators can share a personal history of overcoming great adversity. One of these is Lizbet Martinez, an elementary school teacher who, when she was just a child, fled the repressive Castro regime on a raft to immigrate to the United States.

Lizbet was only 12 years old when she braved the dangers of the sea on nothing more than a raft to flee to this country from her home island of Cuba. She was one of more than 30,000 Cubans who made this treacherous journey during what is known as the “balsero crisis” of 1994. Lizbet and her family were plucked from the waters by the US Coast Guard on Aug. 21, 1994. At the time, the child was clutching a violin case, which the Americans discussed confiscating because they believed the case might contain a weapon. To prove them wrong, Lizbet opened the case, pulled out her violin, and began to play The Star Spangled Banner. Before the family fled the Castro regime in Cuba, she was studying violin at Alejandro Garcia Caturla Conservatory in Havana.  After their rescue, the Martinez family and other refugees spent five months at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base before being relocated to Miami.

When she grew up, Lizbet enrolled at Florida International University in Miami. There she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education in 2003. Cuban-American singer Willy Chirino offered her with a $3,000 scholarship to help pay for her college expenses. At her college graduation, she was asked to perform the National Anthem to open the school’s commencement ceremonies. Later, Lizbet performed with music stars Gloria Estefan and Jon Secada. She also performed for presidents Bill Clinton and George H. Bush.

Once she earned her degree, the aspiring teacher completed her student teaching assignment at Emerson Elementary School in Westchester, Florida, and at Coral Reef High School in Miami. At the grade school, she taught basic music skills. At the high school, a magnet school for teenagers interested in music, she conducted the string orchestra.

Lizbet currently teaches at M.A. Milam K-8 Center, where she taught music until budget cuts cancelled the school’s music program. She now instructs courses in English.

To read more about this remarkable educator, see this story published about her by The Buffalo News.

Victoria Soto: A Chalkboard Hero of Sandy Hook Elementary

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First grade teacher Victoria Soto lost her life while protecting her students from during the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Photo credit: My Hero Project

It is a sad fact that a number of American educators have been put in the unenviable position of protecting their students from active shooters. They are sometimes injured or killed while sheilding their students. One of these teachers was Victoria Soto, a first grade teacher who was killed in the Sandy Hook shooting on Dec. 14, 2012.

Victoria Soto was born on November 4, 1985, in Bridgeport, Connecticut.  In 2003, she graduated from Stratford High School located in Stratford, Connecticut. Following her graduation, she enrolled in Eastern Connecticut State University. There she earned a dual Bachelor’s degree in History and Education, with honors. She also took courses towards her Master’s degree at Southern Connecticut State University.

Once she earned her teaching credentials, Victoria accepted a position as an elementary teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut. On December 14, 2013, Victoria was engaged in teaching her first grade class when gunman Adam Lanza burst into the school wielding several weapons and looking for victims. He started shooting. Staff and students heard Lanza discharging his weapons over the school public address system. By the time the gunman made his way to her classroom, Victoria had been able to hide her children in a closet. When confronted by Lanza, Victoria told him the students had been sent to the school gym. But some of the children were too afraid to stay hidden. When they ran from their hiding place, the shooter began to fire at them. In a supreme act of heroism, Victoria threw herself between Lanza and the children. In so doing, she sustained a fatal gunshot wound.

Victoria was only 27 years old when she was killed. Her career spanned five years. The Chalkboard Champion was laid to rest in Union Cemetery Stratford in Fairfield County, Connecticutt.

In 2013, President Barack Obama awarded Victoria a Presidential Citizens Medal posthumously. The medal honors Americans who have performed “exemplary deeds of service” for their country or fellow citizens. The medal is is the government’s second-highest civilian award.

Read more about this amazing educator in this online article entitled “The Teacher as Hero.”

Richard C. Alvarez was an outstanding educator and US veteran

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Richard Cortez Alvarez was a longtime and outstanding educator in Southern California. He was also a veteran of the United States Army. Photo credit: Inland Daily Bulletin

Many longtime and outstanding educators have also served our country in the military. This is certainly the case with Richard Cortez Alvarez, a high school teacher who served in the United States Army.

Richard was born on Jan. 5, 1935, in Cucamonga, Southern California. He was the youngest child in a family of itinerant farmworkers. When he was growing up, Richard attended schools in Pomona, Southern California. As a student at Pomona High School, he met Laura Zeckendorf, whom he married in 1957. After his high school graduation, Richard served in the US Army. During the years he served, he completed a tour of duty in Korea.

Once he returned from Korea, Richard completed coursework at Mt. San Antonio College. He also studied at the University of LaVerne, and California State University at Fullerton (CsUF). It was at CSUF where he earned his Master’s degree in Fine Arts.

The former veteran inaugurated his career as an educator at Garey High School in Pomona. Later he devoted 25 years of his professional career to teaching at his alma mater, Mt. San Antonio College.

Sadly, Richard Cortez Alvarez passed away on Jan. 24, 2026, at his home in Pomona, California. He was 91 years old. To honor this Chalkboard Champion, a memorial scholarship has been established in his name.

Educator and politician Mary Helen Garcia of New Mexico

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Former educator Mary Helen Garcia also served in the New Mexico House of Representatives. Photo credit: New Mexico Legislature

There are many examples of fine classroom teachers who also become successful politicians. One of these is Mary Helen Garcia, an elementary school teacher and principal from New Mexico, who also served in her state’s House of Representatives.

Mary Helen was born on July 14, 1937, in Las Cruces, New Mexico. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in 1960 and her Master’s degree in 1976, both from New Mexico University.

Mary Helen worked as a teacher first at Gadsden Public Schools, where she was employed from 1960 to 1961. From 1967 to 1992 she taught in Las Cruces Public Schools. She served as the Director of Instruction for Las Cruces schools from 1993 to 1999 to the present. She also served as an elementary school principal in Las Cruces from 1993 to 1999. She is now retired from the teaching profession.

In 1996, this hardworking educator was elected on the Democratic ticket to serve in her state’s House of Representatives. She represented District 34 there from 1997 to 2015. While in the House, Mary Helen was the Chairwoman for the Committee on Voters and Elections; a member of the Appropriations and Finance Committee; and a member of the Committees for Education and Business and Industry. She has also served as the Chair of the New Mexico District Democratic Party from 1997 to the present time.

In addition to her professional and political responsibilities, Mary Helen is a member of the National Education Association, the International Association of Reading, the Association of Curriculum and Instruction, the Dona Ana Arts Council, and the Pan American Round Table.

To learn more about this amazing educator, see her profile on VoteSmart.