Mayra E. Cruz

"Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world."
~Paulo Freire

Mayra Cruz believes that community colleges must provide students of diverse backgrounds with opportunities to access quality educational experiences that empower them to become agents of social, economic and political change in our communities.

Ms. Cruz currently serves as Director for the Institute of Community and Civic Engagement (ICCE) at De Anza College and Chair of the De Anza College Child Development and Education Department in Cupertino, California.  She is responsible for implementing the college engagement initiative, including the development of community partnerships and collaborations throughout the county. As Department Chair for Child development and Education, she prepares early childhood professionals to work in our communities.    She has been instrumental in creating access
to community college course work for Spanish-speaking early childhood workers and serves as the coordinator and advisor for programs serving immigrants and Latinas/os students.

For over 15 years, Ms. Cruz has conducted a variety of trainings in both English and Spanish throughout the Bay Area, as well as at the State level.  The professional development training has included family development, parent leadership, career development, organizational strategic planning, communication, leadership, multicultural education, and professional planning and development for early childhood professionals.  She has been featured in instructional videos for KVIE PBS Kids Ready to Learn and Early Steps to Reading Success Project.

Ms. Cruz participates actively in advocacy organizations at the state and local levels on children and family issues.  She is presently Co-Chair of the Santa Clara County Early Education Local Planning Council; Commissioner for the City of San José Early Care & Education Commission; Leader of the Santa Clara Inclusion Collaborative; and member of the California Association for Bilingual Education, the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the California Community Colleges Early Childhood Educators Association.  She has served as an Ex-Officio and Commissioner for FIRST 5 of Santa Clara County.  Ms. Cruz holds a bachelors degree in Psychology from the University of Puerto Rico and a Masters Degree in Education from San José State University in San José, California.

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