Chapter 6: From Community to Schools to Community: A Latina Educational Leader’s Social Justice Trajectory

This chapter highlights the advocacy and social justice efforts of Andrea Rodríguez, a retired administrator whose unique life experiences shaped the way she enacted leadership. Ms. Rodríguez was a leader not only in schools, but also a community leader. Prior to becoming a teacher and administrator Ms. Rodríguez was active in making presentations about education and other services on her college campus, in a farmworker community, and with the state department of education. Upon retirement from her professional career, she held positions on boards of community organizations and founded a women’s leadership group. Andrea’s experiences and identity as a Latina—who was a former seasonal farm worker, a faith-based organizer, and a community member—offer insights into the influences that played a role in her life as a leader in schools as well as in her local community.