Pipeline Design Thinking Curriculum was created in partnership with Below the Fold and first presented in 2019 at Scuola Vita Nuova. Motivated by the fact that there is a significant shortage of Latinx teachers to students nationwide, Pipeline is a activity-based curriculum designed to engage and expose students to educational career paths through hands on, problem-solving lessons.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire 6-lesson curriculum was made available to educators and families to try while sheltering in place. We encourage you to try a lesson or two. To access the full curriculum, click below!
Carmen Eppright Named Executive Director of the Latinx Education Collaborative
July 13, 2026
The Latinx Education Collaborative is excited to welcome Carmen Eppright as Executive Director, effective July 13, 2026.
Carmen brings the kind of program-building experience that fits LEC’s next chapter. For over a decade in Kansas City education, she has built school partnerships, strengthened family support systems, led staff and teaching artists, and helped programs grow without losing sight of the students and families they serve.
At Kansas City Young Audiences, Carmen led school and community programs reaching over 70,000 students each year. Her non-profit experience and deep roots in the Northeast of Kansas City allows Carmen to bring established, rich relationships within LEC’s own neighborhood. As a co-founder of Harmony Project KC, she helped grow the program from 30 students to over 350 while building the partnerships, staff structures, and multi-site programming needed to support students and families well.
Carmen joins LEC at a strong moment for the organization. In 2025, LEC delivered 18 cohort-based programs and 25 community events, supported approximately 300 educators, reached approximately 480 students, graduated 178 EducaTec participants and 17 GED earners, and distributed $20,000 in direct assistance to immigrant families through the Adelante Fund.
As Executive Director, Carmen will work with LEC’s staff, board, educators, families, and partners to expand the pipeline of future Latinx educators, support educators already leading in classrooms, and strengthen the community networks that help students see themselves reflected in their schools.
“LEC is entering this transition from a position of strength,” said Irene Caudillo, Board Chair of LEC. “Over the past eight years, the organization has built programs, partnerships, and trust across the educator community. Carmen brings the operational experience, program judgment, and steady leadership needed to carry that work forward.”
“I am honored to join LEC as Executive Director and to work alongside the educators, students, families, staff, board, and partners who have built such a strong and inspiring community. It is a privilege to lead an organization whose mission I deeply believe in, and I am especially excited to once again work with and for the Latino community—a community that has been at the heart of my career and purpose.” said Eppright. “Building on LEC’s remarkable foundation, I am committed to strengthening the Latinx educator pipeline, supporting educators already leading in our classrooms, and expanding opportunities for every student to thrive. I look forward to listening, learning, and working together as we continue creating opportunities that empower educators, uplift students, and strengthen our communities for generations to come.”
PRESS AND MEDIA
Representation matters: KC nonprofit continues mission of bringing more Latino teachers into classrooms
October 17, 2024 By: Isabella Ledonne
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In schools nationwide, less than 10% of teachers are Latino. In Kansas City, that number is even less.
Local nonprofit Latinx Education Collaborative is working to bring more Latino teachers into the classroom.
Susana Elizarraraz explained what it feels like to be a Latino student in a school with few Hispanic teachers.
“The hard part about that is feeling like an outsider within a school that’s in your neighborhood,” Elizarraraz said.
It’s part of the reason she became an educator, the first generation in her family to achieve higher education.
Elizarraraz taught at Gladstone Elementary School for years as the only Latino educator.
“Parents of kids in other classrooms that I didn’t have began knocking on my door and say, ‘I have this bill that I don’t understand, can you help me’?” Elizarraraz said. “It was really cool to come full circle and see the gratitude come over families faces, sometimes the parents, sometimes the kiddos themselves, that I could speak their language.”
Elizarraraz explained the cost of higher education, teacher certifications and overall attitudes toward educators in schools deter potential Latino students from the teaching industry.
There are all of these cracks within the system, and there are people who say maybe this isn’t for me,” Elizarraraz said.
Elizarraraz now works with the Latinix Education Collaborative to support future teachers in a field lacking Hispanic voices.
“In order to not get burnt out, make sure to ask for help and there are resources here to offer that support,” Elizarraraz said.
Edgar Palacios launched several programs with the Latinx Education Collaborative to increase the number of Latino teachers in Kansas City area schools.
“You can’t be what you can’t see,” Palacios said.
In two years, he explained the number of Latino teachers has doubled from 1% to 2% in Kansas City Public Schools.
“It doesn’t seem like a lot, comparatively, because there are teacher shortages, but when you’re thinking about 1% of educators in Kansas City are Latino and you start growing that number, those gains are significant overtime,” Palacios said.
Those numbers matter to Kansas City Public Schools parents like Miriam Galan.
“When I first started, I didn’t know the language, I didn’t know how to do the application and how the school system works, so it was very difficult,” Galan said.
Representation is not only important for Latino students, but for their families, too.
“We are more empowered, we are more confident, we learn about many things,” Galan said. “The most important thing, in my case, is learning how to advocate for my children.”
The Latinx Education Collaborative has a goal to help certify and support 50 new teachers by 2027. You can learn more about the programs here.
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Latinx Educator Awards
The Latinx Educator Awards celebrate the outstanding contributions of Latinx educators who demonstrate exceptional dedication to their students and communities. This event in late spring recognizes individuals who are not only leaders in the classroom but also champions of equity, inclusion, and representation within the education system. The awards highlight the achievements of these educators in fostering a supportive and empowering environment for Latinx students, advocating for culturally responsive teaching practices, and inspiring the next generation of Latinx leaders. Through these awards, the LEC aims to shine a spotlight on the vital role that Latinx educators play in shaping the future of education.
Award Requirements
Futuros Program
The Futuros program aims to add 50 new latinx educators to the greater Kansas City metro teacher pipeline by December 2027. This comprehensive initiative seeks to address the critical underrepresentation of Latinx teachers in the region. The program targets aspiring Latinx educators from middle school through college and beyond, offering culturally responsive and affirming experiences at each stage of their educational journey.
Futuros includes in-school presentations, family engagement, partnerships with local organizations, scholarship opportunities, summer camps, mentorship, and certification support. By fostering a strong sense of belonging and identity, the program endeavors to create a sustainable and replicable pipeline model that ensures Latinx educators thrive in their careers
Expresión
The Expresión Storytelling Fellowship is a national professional development initiative dedicated to amplifying the narratives of Latinx educators and youth. Expression offers participants an opportunity to cultivate their storytelling skills and co-craft narratives to shape the future of the educational equity and excellence movement. This program is co-led by and facilitated by the Latinx Education Collaborative and Storytellers for Change. The program operates in a cohort model in the spring with no more than 12 participants at a time.
BENEFITS
Join a community of Latinx educators and future education changemakers.
The program consists of virtual workshops where fellows will collaborate and build community with a cohort of peers.
Develop your leadership and storytelling skills.
By participating in engaging activities and projects, participants will develop storytelling skills, reflect on their leadership journey, and explore their identities.
Shape the future of the narrative change in education.
Throughout the program, fellows will have opportunities to contribute their unique voices and experiences towards crafting and sharing stories to shape the future of educational equity.
Evolución
Evolución, the LEC’s annual fall conference is dedicated to supporting Latinx educators.
This event brings together education professionals and allies for a day of engaging discussions, keynotes, and breakout sessions that address both the challenges and opportunities in the field. Evolución is tailored for current Latinx educators seeking culturally responsive professional development, as well as future Latinx professionals who want to expand their networks and explore career opportunities. It also benefits educators working in districts with large Latinx student populations who aim to enhance their effectiveness, and educators of color looking to connect with peers and acquire culturally responsive resiliency strategies.
