In this very enjoyable episode, Nancy and Jose are joined in studio by a very impressive leader of an incredibly important organization, Gloria Corral, the President & CEO of PIQE (Parent Institute for Quality Education). Her passion for K-12 and higher education spans more than 25 years and includes work at the U.S. Department of Education, the House of Representatives and the Senate. Her expertise in education policy focused on Dual Language Learners, along with her extensive knowledge of system integration is both from developing policy and implementing programs that have been informed by years of working with state departments of education, local and state non-profits, advocacy organizations and large school districts. Corral previously served as the Assistant Executive Director at First 5 San Diego where she led San Diego County’s Quality Early Learning efforts along with other key initiatives for children 0-5 and their families. She worked in early learning for 15 years in policy, program and advocacy and continues her wok in the educational equity journey through family engagement and empowerment. A life of achievement and purpose.

And where did it all begin? What is the foundation and the source of her passion? Gloria tells is it her mother, a teacher in Mexico, and her Dad, the eldest son of twelve children, who led his life with a sense of responsibility for others. Gloria, whose education started in Mexico, shares her trepidations on her first day of school in America -- the beginning of her love of reading. And one of her first books she remembers well is The Ramona Series. Striking to her was Ramona, the mischievous girl - a bit of a cultural shock! But the most impactful book, read when she around 13, was Gone With The Wind. It was her first glimpse of a strong woman with tenacity. This book was important to Gloria as it also made much more tangible her understanding of slavery in American history.

We also learn of the important role and impactful programs developed by PIQE and their embrace of family and parents as an essential element for lifting the lives of children. Now operating in 13 states and Mexico City, PIQE exists to make sure parents have the skills and resources necessary to do what every parent truly wants to do and needs to do for their children.

A very insightful episode. Here are some other amazing takeaways from the interview with Gloria Corral.

- How PIQE was able to pivot and power up families through the pandemic
- The creation of digital literacy services to assist families lacking in both technology and
technology proficiency
- The answers to the Rapid Fire questions!

From Tijuana to San Diego, a wonderful interview from a phenomenal gap minder and leader. Thank you, Gloria Corral, for your passion for literacy, culture, parenting, lifting lives, and for joining us on The Gap Minders.

Enjoy this episode and be sure to subscribe to the show.

If you have any questions or want to contact Nancy or Jose, please send an email to podcast@uwsd.org. Thank you for listening.

To learn more about the two social impact organizations making The Gap Minders possible, please visit www.TheGapMinders.org.