Item 4. Community Letter of Support for Academia Cuauhtli — original pdf

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Subject: A Community Letter of Support for Academia Cuauhtli June 18, 2025 Austin City Hall 301 W. 2nd Street Austin, TX 78701 Dear Mayor Kirk Watson and Austin City Council Members: We write to you as parents, teachers, alumni, and community members who have directly and indirectly benefited from and deeply believe in the mission of Academia Cuauhtli (pronounced KWOWT-lee, meaning Eagle Academy). For more than a decade, this community-rooted program has transformed the educational experiences of hundreds of emergent bilingual students across Austin. We thank you for your past support and endorsement of our work. Today, we respectfully urge you to fully fund Academia Cuauhtli’s FY 2025–2026 $106,000 request put forward by the ESB-MACC for operations, alongside additional funding support for the establishment of a full-time Culture and Arts Education Supervisor position. Located at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (ESB-MACC), Academia Cuauhtli is more than a Saturday school—it is a lifeline. It provides free, high-quality, culturally sustaining education to our children in Spanish, English, and Nahuatl. It connects us as families, uplifts our heritage, and helps our children develop pride in who they are. The program has shown us that culturally relevant teaching is not only possible but powerful. Our children come home speaking about Tejano history, environmental justice, and ancestral knowledge—and they are excited to learn. The program has supported over 800 AISD students, trained over 250 teachers, and generated more than 18 original curricular units. It has also helped parents access resources during the pandemic and created leadership opportunities for our youth. It has also become a pathway to master’s and doctoral degrees in educational careers at the University of Texas at Austin with whom we also partnered. Though we are also partnered with the Austin Independent School District, we lament that not a single dollar will go toward Academia Cuauhtli this coming school year. Our community-driven, volunteer-based model ensures that every dollar goes directly into instruction, mentorship, and support for our families. However, we cannot sustain neither this impact nor our anticipated growth as we move back into our home at the ESB-MACC this November without your support. A full-time coordinator is urgently needed to manage and grow the program. For years, this work has been carried on the shoulders of volunteers and part-time staff. As the needs of our community grow, so must our ability to meet them. The funding request—part of the overall ESB-MACC budget—is modest compared to the transformational impact that Academia Cuauhtli has in our lives. 1 We ask you to stand with our teachers, children, families, and our community per the undersigned individuals and organizations. Please vote to approve both the ESB-MACC operations request as part of their budget request to the City of Austin for the $106,000 alongside additional funding support for the establishment of a full-time supervisor position. Investing in Academia Cuauhtli is an investment in equity, education, and community thriving which is so needed in these difficult times. Respectfully, Angela Valenzuela, Ph.D., co-founder, Academia Cuauhtli Emillio Zamora, co-founder, Academia Cuauhtli Martha Cotera, co-founder Academia Cuauhtli Maria Unda, Ph.D., Academia Cuauhtli and City of Austin Resident Dr. Brenda Rubio, co-founder Academia Cuauhtli Dr. Chris-Milk-Bonilla, co-founder Academia Cuauhtli Website: https://academiacuauhtli.com/ | Research: https://academiacuauhtli.com/publications/ List of Individuals: Blandina ‘Bambi’ Cardenas Flores, Ph.D, former University of Texas Pan American President & Austin Resident Dora Diaz-Albarran, current University of Texas at Austin Ph.D candidate & Austin Resident Alicia Perez-Hodge, Community Activist and Austin Resident Emeriek Moreno, student at the University of Texas at Austin & Austin Resident William Ramirez, Austin resident Lizeth I. Lizarraga, current University of Texas at Austin doctoral student & Austin Resident Quinn McCall, Austin resident Susana Naranjo-Padron, Austin resident Ashika Ganguly, Community Advocate, Austin Resident Laysha Renee Gonzalez, UT Austin recent graduate and Austin resident Peter Carruth, Austin resident Ayaan Moledina, Austin resident, and Federal Policy Director for Students Engaged in Advancing Texas Cameron Samuels, University of Texas at Austin master student, and Executive Director for Students Engaged in Advancing Texas Natalie Lake, Community Midwife and Volunteer, Austin Resident Juan AntonioMontemayor. Danzante w Danza Mexica Xochipilli and member of Kalpulli Teokalli Teoyolotl. Santa Akouatzin Yanez-Montemayor, Academia Cuauhtli, La Colaborativa Cuauhtli, AISD Teacher and Mentor, Member of Kalpulli Teokalli Teoyolotl Veronica Rivera, Academia Cuauhtli, AISD teacher, Austin resident Manuel Martinez, Academia Cuauhtli teacher, Austin resident Julia Carrillo, Academia Cuauhtli, Austin resident Natalia Chapa Mills, Academia Cuauhtli, La Colaborativa Cuauhtli, AISD Teacher and Mentor, Austin Resident Isabel Ruiz de Carrasco (Parent) Austin Resident Iliana Barrera-Lubman, AISD Principal 2 Lizeth Zuniga, La Colaborativa Cuauhtli, AISD Teacher and Lead Mentor Patricia Núñez, La Colaborativa Cuauhtli, UT student Dezaree Walker, Los Muertos Vivientes Elizabeth Castillo Mena, University of Texas at Austin doctoral student Shawntal Brown, Ph.D., Austin resident Michael Reid Jr, UT Austin doctoral student Greg Moses, Austin resident Brandon Foskett, University of Texas at Austin doctoral student Blake Marlowe, UT Austin doctoral student Jessica Silva, Parent of two Academia Cuauhtli students, La Colaborativa Cuauhtli, Austin Resident Irma Orozco, Former Spanish Teacher and Austin Saltillo Sister Cities Education Co-Chair Alejandro Madrigal III, UT Austin doctoral student Matt Giani, Research Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at UT Austin Pavitee Peumsang, Ph.D., Austin resident Marianna Fresquez, UT Austin Graduate Student and Austin Resident Corinne Floyd, UT Austin alumna and Austin resident Noah De Lissovoy, Professor, Department of Curriculum & Instruction, UT Austin Valerie Garza, Austin resident Lesley Rivas, UT Austin doctoral student Marisol Sanchez, Ph.D., UT Austin alumna, Austin Resident Lia Rosen, Austin Resident René Rentería - Austin Resident, Community Documentary Photographer Dr. Kait Ogden - Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin Dr. Sherri Castillo, Austin Community College Monica Maldonado, Arts and Latino Culture Advocate Ezra Rebollar, Austin resident Marissa Aki’ NeNe Muñoz, Community member Leda Ramos, Cal State LA profesora Marianna Fresquez, UT Austin Graduate Student Jasmine Wright, UT student Patty Quinzi Emily Witt, Austin resident Briana Cohen, Austin resident, community weaver, and graduate student at UT Austin - Native American and Indigenous Studies Portfolio & Social Work Dr. Magdalena H. de la Teja Linda Ferreira-Buckley, PhD (Austin resident) Kevin M. Jackson Jr., UT Austin Alumnus, Education Advocate, Austin Resident Kendra Montejos Edwards, Austin Resident and Parent Dan Dawer, former AISD teacher and current doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership and Policy at UT Austin Veronica Luna, educator and UT Austin alumna Dr. Lauren Mena Shook, Austin resident Gaby Benitez, Austin resident Juan Cotera, Austin Resident Zorayda Sánchez, Austin resident, UT Austin Student 3 Nancy Lester Ayaan Moledina, Austin resident and high school student Jackie Pedota, Austin resident and UT alum Mary Selby, Austin resident Paul Saldana, Co-Founder HABLA Christopher Rzigalinski, Austin Community Member and UT Doctoral Student Hannel Suarez, educator Krish Nath - Student and Resident of Austin, Texas Juan Tejeda, retired professor of Mexican American Studies and Music. Greg Reck, Austin Resident Raúl Ernesto Longoria, Austin Resident, Student at UT Austin, and former AISD Teacher Eric Ramos, east austin resident and Austin ISD teacher Luzdary Montoya Austin Resident Betty Jeanne Taylor, Ph.D., Austin resident and educator Dr. Adele Nelson, Austin resident and faculty at UT Austin Stephennie Mulder, UT Austin faculty in Art History Celia Rodriguez Austin Resident Candice Watson - Educator In Austin ISD Jen Margulies, AISD parent Jeremy Muniz Susana Carranza, Austin resident Tomas Salas, founding member of the ESB-MACC James Lemuel, Austin resident and LISD Teacher Christian Faltis, Laredo resident, Stanford PhD Josh H, Student at Austin Community College Maria Cotera, faculty at UT-Austin Dr. Adele Nelson, Austin resident and faculty at UT Austin Rosa Tupina Yaotonalcuauhtli, LCSW-S, Collaborating with Academia Cuauhtli since its inception with participation from my community Kalpulli Teokalli Teoyolotl, Danza Mexica Xochipilli. Gabriela Caballero, Austin resident Monica Sanchez, Austin Born Activist and Community Organizer Amy Longfield, Texas parent Jim Kuhn (Austin resident) Angeles Desantos, Past Volunteer for Academia Julieta Rico, Former UT Austin Student Jose Saldivar, PhD Frank Martinez, retired educator. Leonor Vargas, Proponent-Wisdom en Familias, LLC Darlene Starr Patricia Núñez, Austin resident, parent. Bilingual educator. and advocate. Valerie A. Martínez, Ph.D., UT Austin Alumna Sue Cole, community member Pavitee Peumsang, Ph.D., Austin resident Lupita Villalobos, Public school educator Angie Bongiovanni, UT alum 4 Arieli Brito Marisol Trevino, Austin is my hometown, UT Austin graduate Dr. Carla Garcia-Fernandez, Austin resident and UT Austin alumni Nancy Lester Karla Hernandez-Mats, Concerned Educator J.Diaz, Austin Resident Jorge Segovia Jr., Austin resident and UT-Austin alumni. Emeriek D. Moreno, Austin Resident and Student at UT Austin. List of Organizations: 1. Texas Association for Bilingual Education (TABE) 2. National Latino Education Research and Policy Project (NLERAPP) 3. Black and Brown Dialogues on Policy (BBDP) 4. National Association of Chicana and Chicano Studies Tejas Foco Pre-K-12 Committee 5. Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce (TAMACC) 6. Every Texan 7. Latino Arts, Culture, and Education (LACE) 8. Transit Forward 9. Ethnic Studies Network of Texas (ESNTX) 10. Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT) 11. Latino Texas Policy Center 12. National Association for Chicana & Chicano Studies - Tejas Foco Caucus (Chairs: Dr. Lilliana Saldaña & Dr. Rosalva Resendiz) 13. MAS Teachers’ Academy 14. Ruben Barrera; Mexican American Heritage Day Association 15. Armando B. Rendón, Mexican American Heritage Day Association 16. League of Women Voters Austin Area 17. HABLA - Hispanic Advocates Business Leaders of Austin 18. LULAC - League of United Latin American Citizens Division VII 19. Austin Latino Coalition 5