Honoree Highlight: Johanna Garcia

AQE's Champions of Education Celebrating a Victory Decades in the Making Wednesday, October 27, 2021 // 6 PM // Online REGISTER NOW Dear Ashley,   AQE's annual Champions of Education celebration is tomorrow! It isn't too late to join us to honor individuals and organizations that have gone above and beyond in their dedication to ensuring that all students have access to a quality education.  We are proud to present the honorees for AQE's ninth annual Champions of Education celebration, and highlight their contributions to the fight for education justice.   Honoree Highlight: Johanna Garcia   A daughter of immigrants and a single mother of three children, Johanna has dedicated her entire life to fighting for our youth and families, working to make sure every child has the opportunity for a quality education and the chance to succeed and being a strong voice for equity and justice. Johanna first got involved in local government as a parent activist fighting for a better education for her children. She served as a member on the School Leadership Team at her children’s school, as President of the School District's Presidents Council and as President of the Community Education Council. In 2016, Johanna was one of the parents who joined AQE to walk 150 miles from Manhattan to Albany to elevate the issue of the severe and unlawful underfunding of public schools in New York State. She also sued the State to reduce class size in our schools. Education Justice Marathon Award Johanna Garcia Parent, community leader, activist and Chief of Staff to Senator Robert Jackson Johanna is a proud product of New York City public schools. Before her work in government began, Johanna started a successful family literacy program out of a public school in the Bronx, and also founded a nonprofit in Washington Heights that increased the quality of local childcare and created economic opportunities for women of color. As a mother of a child with special learning needs, she joined other parents in founding the Dyslexia Plus In Schools Taskforce. Johanna has also built up her advocacy muscle through her work as a member of Fort Washington Collegiate Church, a progressive congregation where she has served as an elder and on the church’s governing body. After six years serving as Chief of Staff for Robert Jackson while he was on the New York City Council, since 2019 Johanna has served as Robert Jackson’ Chief of Staff in the Senate, where she has helped usher in landmark legislation such as rent rollbacks, child victims act, women reproduction act, and LGBTQ rights, to name a few. You can still reserve your spot on the guest list to join us tomorrow, October 27, for our virtual celebration of the Johanna Garcia and our other honorees: Dr. Kaliris Salas-Ramirez, neuroscientist, parent leader, and organizer; and the Resistance Revival Chorus. REGISTER NOW We hope to see you there! Jasmine Gripper Executive Director AQENY.org Follow us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram DONATE

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