Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1463867
Christina Alaniz Palm Springs Teachers Association American Indian/Alaska Native Human Rights Award in Honor of Jim Clark Christina Alaniz has been involved with the Native com- munity her entire life. A Cahuilla and Serrano descendant of the Morongo Band of Mission Indi- ans, she was raised and still lives on the Morongo reservation. Alaniz volunteered in her children's classrooms for 11 years. It was there that she found her passion for education and helping students succeed. She became involved in the local PTA and served as PTA president for two years. She worked with her tribe to bring culturally relevant educational opportunities to the classroom. After earning a bachelor 's degree in history and a master 's in education, Alaniz began teaching in 2010. She taught for four years on the reservation before moving to Palm Springs Unified, where she currently teaches second grade. She has written ethnic studies curriculum, has served the past seven years on her school site council, and is a current member of an anti-racist coalition. Alaniz helps the district engage with the Native commu- nity in Palm Springs, including the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, and is creating a Native American Parent Advisory Council to facilitate the process. She consults with the tribe on curriculum and works to represent the Native community in education and social issues. She is active on the equity team at her chapter and is a member of CTA's American Indian/Alaska Native Caucus. She serves on CTA's Racial Equity Affairs Committee, par- ticipates in the 2021-22 Ethnic Minority Early Identification and Development cohort, and regularly trains and presents workshops to colleagues. Guadalupe Carrasco Cardona United Teachers Los Angeles César Chávez "Sí Se Puede" Human Rights Award Guadalupe Carrasco Cardona is committed to promoting educa- tional equality, critical pedagogy, and a college-going culture at Edward R. Roybal Learning Cen- ter. She has distinguished herself through her excellent mentor- ship of teachers and students and her work in underserved communities. Carrasco Cardona has been involved in developing state- wide ethnic studies curriculum. Her work centers the voices of people of color and furthers a student-centered classroom environment based on mutual respect, critical thinking and collaboration. She has led multiple workshops to embed this curriculum at Roybal. She has organized the school and community to fund students and their families who were struggling to make ends meet, even to fund funerals for fam- ily members lost during the pandemic. In 2019, she brought danzantes to Roybal during El Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), honoring the cultural heritage of many students. In 2020, she brought Canción del Inmi- grante: A Latin Folk Opera to Roybal, a free event for school families and the larger community. As chair of the Association of Raza Educators of Los Angeles, Carrasco Cardona organizes praxis institutes to support teachers in their professional development and helps secure funds and scholarships for Dreamers. She created "La Trenza" (The Braid), a YouTube channel for the Latinx community that helps Latinx youth see them- selves in books and curriculum. Carrasco Cardona is one of the founders of the Liberated Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum Coalition, which designs and coordinates training programs for educators of BIPOC students. She is earning her doctorate in ethnic studies. ambitious standards for them. Having taught refugee students from Sudan, Williams also knows how important it is to be prepared to help all students, particularly those who bring trauma to school. Beyond the classroom, he leads a student men- toring program that encourages and empowers BIPOC students to be their best selves, know their history, and grow leadership skills through commu- nity service. Williams was elected in 2021 to the Oakland Unified School District Board of Education and has worked tirelessly to help eliminate the opportunity gap across all district schools by 2026. Long active in CTA, he currently serves as an NEA director and a member of the CTA Budget Committee. He has been a member of the CTA African American Caucus and the Racial Equity Affairs Committee. 39 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 2 2