I am a few days away from turning 40, and the time leading up to this important milestone has been marked by a period of deep introspection for me. Where am I in my professional journey? Am I satisfied with the way I have lived my life so far? What impact am I having on others? These are some of the questions occupying my mind as of late. My reflection has inevitably led me to a profound appreciation for the role that Jesuit education has had in my personal and professional formation. I certainly would not be the person I am today without it. More importantly, my profession as a Jesuit educator has given me an opportunity to witness that same impact on youth today, especially among students from marginalized backgrounds. The Society of Jesus’ commitment of making Jesuit education accessible to all is not only aligned with Ignatian values of justice and equality, but it is also having a transformative effect in young people whose life trajectory would be quite different without it.

My experience with Jesuit education began at the age of 13 in México, where I was privileged to attend Instituto de Ciencias in Guadalajara. One of the aspects that had the strongest impact on me was the diversity of its campus. In the context of Mexican society, this meant that my peers came from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds. Coming from a middle-class upbringing, I was keenly aware that some of my friends lived in large homes in affluent neighborhoods, while others lived in much more modest conditions at the city’s periphery. This is not the norm at most private schools in México, where access to a quality education is often reserved to the privileged echelons of society. For reference, more than a million people, or 15% of Jalisco’s population (my home state) had up to an elementary school education in 2010 (COEPO, 2010). Similarly, 24.1% of Guadalajara’s population had no more than a high school education in 2020 (Secretaría de Economía, 2020). Amid such staggering inequality, I am grateful that “El Ciencias” created a space of belonging for my peers and I, one where the Ignatian calling of creating a more just world started in the classrooms and the hallways. Furthermore, it is at this time of my life that I was first prompted to think about the wellbeing of others as much as my own by my teachers and spiritual retreat leaders. In retrospect, this exposure planted seeds of empathy, solidarity, and social awareness that would later help me discover my vocation as an adult.

My first job after graduating from Santa Clara University was as a teacher at Sacred Heart Nativity School, a Jesuit institution serving first-generation, low-income Latino students in San José, California. At Sacred Heart, I encountered the harsh reality of teachers’ trials and tribulations, barely making it past the first year. Yet, what kept me going was the joy of working with the youth and helping them find their voice and potential, as well as engaging with immigrant parents with limited English fluency to take an active role in their child’s education. That experience prepared me to later take on the role of Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging at Bellarmine College Prep, a position I have held for the past 10 years. My work puts me in direct contact with communities that have historically been spectators on the sidelines, not invited to take part in the wonderful opportunities that a Jesuit college prep school offers its students. According to the Jesuit Schools Network, out of all of students at traditional Jesuit schools, 8% identify as African American, 6% as Asian, 19% as Latino, and 7% will be the first in their family to go to college (JSN, 2022). As a mentor, advocate, liaison and teacher, my role is to not only support underrepresented students and parents throughout the application process, but also to accompany them as they transition to a school environment that is so foreign to them. The goal is to foster a sense of belonging so that these families can see themselves as valued members of our community; that their sons have the same right to aspire to a better future as families that come from privilege.

Furthermore, it is my responsibility to lead the efforts to create an inclusive and equitable school where all students are invited to the table and have the same opportunities to succeed regardless of their socio-economic background, religion, sexual orientation, race, or legal status. This is certainly a tall order given that it involves, in many cases, creating systemic changes to structures that have been in place for more than 170 years. Despite the challenges, I am fortunate to work at an institution that has positioned inclusion and equity as essential strategic goals. Initiatives have emerged such as increasing tuition assistance funds, expanding outreach efforts to attract a more diverse range of students, providing social and mental health support to students rooted in cura personalis, or developing strategies to increase representation among faculty and staff of color. Thus, imagining a hope-filled future has become attainable for me, and working towards it with amazing colleagues fills me with purpose and joy.

I am truly blessed that my journey has led me to a profession that connects me to the Jesuit mission of working towards a more just world. Along the way, I have experienced and witnessed the impact that Ignatian pedagogy has on all who encounter it. As a student in Latin America and the United States, it opened my mind and my heart to different realities in society, prompting me to be an agent of positive change. As a Jesuit educator, I have seen how it has changed the lives of students from marginalized backgrounds, giving them the academic, ethical, and spiritual tools to aspire to a better life, a life of purpose. Therefore, making this transformative education accessible to all remains a key moral responsibility for leaders in Jesuit works across the world.

Works Cited
Consejo Estatal de Población. (2010). Educación y Población en Jalisco – IIEG.
https://iieg.gob.mx/contenido/PoblacionVivienda/CoepopdfEducacionypob.pdf
Jesuit Schools Network. (2022). Annual Report 2021. Retrieved from
https://jesuitschoolsnetwork.org/inquiry/
Secretaría de Economía. (2021). Guadalajara: Economía, Empleo, equidad, Calidad de Vida, Educación, salud y seguridad pública. Data México.
https://www.economia.gob.mx/datamexico/es/profile/geo/guadalajara?totalGenderEducation=totalOption#education-and-employment