nonprofit founder working to put more Latino teachers in classrooms. Here's how

Yahoo

12-04-2025

Editor's Note: This interview is part of an ongoing Star series highlighting Kansas Citians from historically under-represented communities and their impact on our region. The series builds on The Star's efforts to improve coverage of local communities. Do you know someone we should interview? Share ideas with our reporter J.M. Banks.
Growing up in Florida as the son of Nicaraguan immigrants, Edgar Palacios saw the hardships his parents faced in pursuit of a better life for their family. At school he experienced discrimination that damaged his since of self worth as a student —an experience that left a deep and lasting impact, ultimately shaping his life's mission.
While working for the education nonprofit Great Schools, and touring schools across the country, Palacios observed a consistent pattern: classrooms filled with Latino students, but very few Latino teachers. What began as a simple idea—to compile a national list of Latino educators — quickly revealed a large void in the education field for Hispanic teachers.
In 2018, Palacios founded the Latinx Education Collaborative, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Latino youth in the classroom and creating pathways to increase Hispanic representation in the education profession.
Palacio said a big part of the reason he wants to encourage more Latino educators is so the growing population of Latino students get to see people who look like them and who share some cultural experience with them in their classrooms and school system offices.
Palacios recently sat down with Kansas City Star culture and identity reporter J.M. Banks to talk about not feeling supported as a child at school, the importance of Hispanic teachers in the classroom and the need for community involvement in a students life.
Banks: Can you begin by telling me about your early life and upbringing?
Palacios: I was actually born in Miami Beach, Florida, and lived there until I was about 11. Then my parents moved our family to Spokane, Washington. We lived there for three years before moving to Cape Girardeau, Missouri, where I went to high school. In 2004, I moved to Kansas City for college, so I've been here for almost 21 years now.
I'm the son of immigrants, my parents are from Nicaragua and came to the U.S. in 1981. I was born a few years later. Growing up, I witnessed firsthand the experiences they had to navigate as immigrants, learning new customs, cultures and systems.
I especially saw these challenges in places like Spokane and Cape Girardeau, where I experienced discrimination as a young kid in the school system. I didn't see my full value as a student and that really fuels my work today. The belief that all young people are worthy of quality education and meaningful opportunities, regardless of where they come from.
What inspired you to start the Latinx Education Collaborative?
In 2015 I was part of a program called Great Schools that tours schools, which allowed me to travel the country and visit various schools and see different education models. I noticed that while Latino students were present everywhere, there were very few Latino teachers, staff members, or administrators. I started asking questions.
I remember visiting a school in Houston, Texas, where 99% of the student population was Latino but there wasn't a single person of color on staff. I asked the principal why that was, especially in a place like Houston where you would expect diversity. I was confused. If you can't find people, why not actively go look for them?
My first idea was simple: build a spreadsheet or database of Latino educators across the country. That way, whenever someone claimed they couldn't find any, I could hand them the list. It was a simple response to a very complex issue, but it became the seed of what is now the Latinx Education Collaborative.
We officially launched at the end of 2018, and we've been working every day since, through the pandemic, through political and cultural shifts. We are focused on improving educational outcomes and experiences for students by working directly with Latino educators, parents, students, and allies.
Since you founded the organization, how do you think the vision has evolved to meet the needs of the Hispanic students you serve?
Evolution is absolutely necessary for any nonprofit. As I mentioned, our initial idea was simple, maybe even naive. But the more we learned about the field, the challenges and the broader political climate, the more we've adapted.
There are many barriers that prevent Latino individuals from entering the education profession. Some are cultural or narrative-driven, like the idea that education doesn't pay well or isn't a prestigious career. Others are systemic, like lack of high school completion, scholarships, and access to mentorship. Some come from being part of first-generation families whose parents came to the U.S. seeking better opportunities and education doesn't pay well.
We've been learning about all these factors and building pathways and solutions to address them. Collaboration is key—we can't do this work alone. We have to partner with schools, institutions, and other organizations. It's not something that you can do by yourself.
What do you think are the main challenges your organization faces in trying to achieve its goals?
Globally, we're facing a teacher shortage across the board. Fewer young people are interested in becoming educators, and we're struggling to retain the ones we do have. That's creating a serious crisis.
Teachers are underpaid and undervalued, especially here in the U.S. If we want to address any of the other challenges in education, we have to first address how we treat and support our teachers.
What are some of the most impactful programs or initiatives you've offered over the years?
One program we're really excited about is our Futuros Program. Through that initiative, our goal is to add at least 15 new Latino educators to our community by 2027. We support aspiring educators and those entering their first year of teaching by providing wraparound support and helping them stay connected and encouraged.
We also have a program called Expresión, which we run in partnership with Storytellers for Change. This program helps Latino educators develop and share their personal narratives. It's a way to humanize educators and build deeper connections with students. We believe educators who understand and embrace their own stories can better model authenticity and self-awareness for the young people they serve.
What role does community involvement play in addressing educational disparities?
Community involvement is everything. It's unrealistic to expect schools and districts to solve these issues alone. Educating a child is a community effort, everyone has a role to play.
Whether it's showing up for school board meetings, advocating for better policies, mentoring students, or simply being present in the school environment, every action matters. Our youth succeed when we all show up for them.
What are your organization's hopes and goals for the future?
We still have so much work ahead of us. The issues we're tackling, like teacher diversity and systemic inequities, didn't appear overnight. These are generational challenges that require long-term commitment.
We also have work to do in building bridges with other communities. Not everyone understands or agrees with the value of representation, equity, and inclusion. Until there's more alignment around these values, our work will continue to be both vital and necessary.
For more stories about culture and identity, sign up for our free On The Vine newsletter at http://KansasCity.com/newsletters.