The Chicanologues Gerardo A. Muñoz

I recently was honored with the opportunity to present with a friend and colleague at ALAS on the topic of Neurodivergence in the Latiné community, and my guest today is amazing in this sense!







Cecilia Quintanilla, originally from Cochabamba, Bolivia, is an accomplished educator and musician who relocated to the United States in 2017. She currently serves as an Early Childhood Instructor in a Spanish Immersion program at Bryant Webster Dual Language School, under the aegis of Denver Public Schools.







Cecilia received her formative education in music and arts from a prestigious institution in Bolivia, later honing her skills at the Plurinational Conservatory of Music in La Paz. She has had the honor of performing as a pianist with both the Bolivian National Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras. A multi-instrumentalist, Cecilia is proficient in the clarinet, violin, and harp, and has been a part of various choirs over the years. She currently holds a board position with the Denver Children’s Choir.







In her present role, Cecilia finds enrichment in her leadership responsibilities and from her interaction with her young students. She also volunteers her time in the planning and administration of after-school programs at Bryant Webster. She serves as a founding board member for the forthcoming Be the Change Community School in Commerce City, Colorado.







As an author, Cecilia debuted her book “This is Who I Am – Este soy yo” in May 2022, a bilingual narrative aimed at initiating conversations around talent and giftedness among young children.







Cecilia is deeply committed to supporting neurodivergent students, particularly in Bolivia. To this end, she founded the non-profit organization Yachay Bolivia for the Neurodivergent, providing essential resources and consultation services to students and families in various regions of Bolivia and other Spanish-speaking countries.







A staunch advocate for the recognition and support of gifted but underrepresented students, Cecilia is affiliated with several organizations, including the Colorado Gifted and Talented Association, the Gifted Education State Advisory Committee, Gifted and Talented Leaders of Color and Allies, and the Latine Educational Advisory Committee. Her advocacy work is focused on the early identification of gifted children and on resource provision within the Latine community.







For additional information about Ms. Cecilia Quintanilla, please visit https://linktr.ee/ceciliaquintanilla.







Learn more about Yachay Bolivia for the Neurodivergent!







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A few years back, I had the chance to meet Francoise, first through Instagram, then on Zoom. Caught in the clutches of our nonsensical immigration system, she was at a crossroads in her career. Those of us who have followed her brilliant work, particularly her work in educating us about the Spanish language and all that comes with it, are excited that she is not only on her feet, but she is thriving, traveling the world and sharing her knowledge while learning with and from others.







Françoise is an ABAR educator and educational activist from Chile. She was an immigrant who spoke about the struggles and complexities of identity at The Race Institute and The Barnes Foundation. She has an M. Ed in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. She believes that fostering critical consciousness skills should start at an early age through decolonial praxis and equitable, gender inclusive, ABAR curriculums. For her, languages have the potential to be  windows to perspectives, and bridges of understanding.She is currently working as a speaker, a writer, a coach, a teacher of teachers, and a consultant. 







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In episode 5 of the Chicanologues, Gerardo chops it up with TeRay Esquibel, graduate of Denver Public Schools and founder of Ednium: The Alumni Collective. TeRay established Ednium to activate recent DPS graduates to both push and support Colorado’s largest and most diverse school district through creativity, entrepreneurship and civic engagement. In addition to community engagement, Ednium also helps DPS graduates of color to develop their own leadership skills and voice.

Laura Cortez was a soccer player in Texas. Her coach required that players run track and cross country in order to maintain their fitness for the season. A self-identified tejana, she grew up with community, culture, and of course, Selena.







Having relocated to Colorado, Laura, along with Victor Fallon, formed the Trailtinos, a Latiné running collective that spans generations, experience levels, and culture. I had a chance to run with the crew, a nice 7-miler that was extremely hard without water. The conversations were incredible, and it was beautiful to see so many members of our raza prioritizing fitness, wellness, and community.







Laura joins me to discuss the formation of the Trailtinos, and the importance of community wellness.







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Please forgive the poor audio quality. I wanted to re-record it for you but I had class late and just don’t have time this week. I will make this up to you!







Cinco de mayo can still mean something to our gente. It could be a time for warriors if we let it be.







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Welcome to the Chicanologues! Join me, Gerardo Muñoz, as I examine my identity as a researcher, scholar, and person. In this episode, I explain a little bit of what went into my decision to create this podcast. In the future, we will have guests and topics that will expand your critical conscience and hopefully, entertain you!