Can you tell me a little bit about yourself? Where does your story begin?
Ashlee
My name is Ashlee Lidyoff, and I’m an academic coach currently living in Fresno, California.
My story begins where I grew up, in a small, country town called Easton, right down the street from American Union Elementary School in Fresno. That’s where my grandmother, parents, and other family members grew up, too. My grandmother and I both went to the same elementary and high school. I’ve gone to school with the same people for 14 years, from Kindergarten to 12th grade.
I felt connected to the place where I grew up while still longing for deeper roots. I craved connection with people, and I was able to nurture that connection at school.
I’ve always known I wanted to be a teacher. My best friend and I would take turns role-playing as ‘the teacher’ and the ‘student.’ We would collect the teacher editions of old textbooks and argue about which one of us would play which role first. I spent a lot of time with my teachers, too. I was that kid who spent their lunchtime in the teacher’s classroom.
I eventually attended UC Santa Cruz, where I studied history and education. Through courses on race, class, and urban schooling, I connected much of what I learned back to our community—a microcosm where kids from Fresno’s “West Side,” and other historically under-resourced neighborhoods attend the same schools as the children of agricultural workers and owners of multi-million dollar agribusinesses.
Easton, Fresno, and the Valley are interesting places I took for granted growing up. It wasn’t until I was away from home that I began to truly appreciate them. Here, complex social stresses and turmoil intertwine with beautiful cultural, social, and linguistic fabrics. I feel very protective of this place, and recognize that we all have different connections to places based on our interests, past experiences, or even our souls.
Ultimately, it made me realize that Fresno was where I wanted to be. My journey organically turned into my career as an educator. Now, as an academic coach, I’m working with teachers who are doing wonderful things for students.
Juventina
My name is Juventina Gamino. I live in Fresno, California, and I’m an English Language Development teacher at Washington Union High School.
As the youngest of seven siblings, all of whom are twelve years or more older than me, I had the best of both worlds: a large family and lots of time to be with myself. When they were around, it would feel like there were six additional adults besides my parents scolding me if I got into trouble!
I was raised in Firebaugh, which is a small town with a big heart. Firebaugh is famous for its cantaloupes, and in the summer, that sweet scent fills the air. Growing up, I loved going to the Cantaloupe Roundup carnival—a four-day summer fair with rides and delicious food that the whole community attended. I remember the family-owned Rebecchi store —it was one of my favorite places as a child. That’s where my father would order birthday cakes for my sister and me. They also sold all kinds of clothes, and I vividly recall shelves stacked high with shoes. Tragically, the store was lost to a fire and was never rebuilt, but the memories of it remain a cherished part of my childhood.
I remember my family’s road trips to Mexico to visit my grandmother during the winter breaks. The road trips were fun – lots of music, food, and memories while traveling throughout the country.
When we visited my grandmother in Mexico, I would wake up early to join her on trips to the mill with pails of corn she wanted ground for making tortillas from scratch. I loved watching how she cooked them over a wood fire with an iron griddle on top.
Her kitchen was always filled with masa for making tamales for countless family members. She cooked with such joy, and I learned so much from spending time with her.
Born in the 1920s, my grandmother grew up at a time when learning to read was not very realistic. When she witnessed her mother become a widow at a young age without access to education, it deeply impacted her. So when my mother eventually moved to the United States and raised my siblings and me, education was never up for debate—it was an expectation.
We spoke English and Spanish interchangeably. I didn’t focus on one over the other– they both felt transferable. I was nurtured in an environment where education was a priority, allowing me to focus on learning without having to worry about other challenges or difficulties.
Now, I live in Fresno and am in my 21st year of teaching. Thanks to the sacrifices of my grandmother and mother, I have been able to live a freer, easier life. Though both have passed away, their presence never truly leaves me.
How would you describe what you do?
As a teacher and a coach, I would describe what I do as filling students with wonder, activating curiosity, and helping students see their intellect and elevating themselves as scholars and thinkers.
As teachers, we get to consider why our students should care about something and explore the big picture. We often engage in tough conversations about what’s happening in the world. The classroom is an opportunity to expand and challenge their worldview and facilitate meaningful learning. There’s a lot of creativity and autonomy in making decisions as educators, which allows us to create wonderful and joyful moments for our students.
To me, teaching is a calling—not just to deliver content, but to prioritize helping students engage with one another.
I remember a student who worked a night shift, which made her attendance challenging. Whenever I saw her, I simply told her I was happy to see her. One day she told me, “You don’t know how much it means to me that you were genuinely happy to see me, and that you never made a big deal about me being late.”This taught me that sometimes, small gestures of kindness and understanding create the deepest connections.
When I describe my role as a coach, I often say that I’m sort of a “life coach” for teachers. That means building trust and setting aside my own listening dragons to extrapolate what’s going on for this person- what are they saying, and how can I help them get them to whatever their desired state is.
Juventina
Twenty years ago, I would have said, “I teach lessons and I teach little kids how to read.” Today, I would describe teaching as passing along the gift of possibility—helping students see their future, especially when many don’t see it themselves. By encouraging them to hold higher expectations for themselves, I can continue the legacy of my grandmother and mother.
What are the challenges in education in your community?
Ashlee
Many students have to work to support their families. They don’t want to fall asleep in class, but after finishing a twelve-hour shift, they still have to come to school. Carrying that burden at such a young age can make it feel like education has to take a back seat.
Additionally, the Central Valley holds many conservative values and beliefs. As the developer of the district’s ethnic studies curriculum, I see firsthand how ongoing social and cultural conflicts bring competing ideas about whose voices matter and whose stories are elevated.
Sometimes, it can be challenging to protect our students and create safe spaces for them. For me, identifying my core values and beliefs has been helpful, and I strive to help others connect with theirs as well.
Juventina
Students need to have access to different experiences to expand their understanding of the world. Here in the Central Valley, local destinations like a nearby beach or the Exploratorium in San Francisco are more than three hours away. Geographic and economic barriers often make it difficult for students to have those experiences. As teachers, we get creative in bringing those experiences into the classroom, but it’s not quite the same as being there in person.
What makes you hopeful?
Ashlee
Being around kids makes me feel like we’re going to be okay. This generation has a lot to offer, particularly in emotional awareness, self-awareness, protecting their peace, and prioritizing their mental health—something that’s been sorely needed.
They’re learning to protect the environment, care for their own well-being, and multiply that care so we can move toward becoming spiritually, mentally, and physically healthier. The pendulum has swung so far to one side that now the only option is to find a balance.
I don’t believe people are inherently evil, nor do I believe that the way things are now is the way they have to be. Whatever we don’t change, we’re choosing. If we all got on the same page and stayed connected, there’s nothing we couldn’t accomplish.
Being on this team has helped us feel less alone in advocating for students and families. It’s been powerful to come alongside them and build genuine partnerships. It really feels like we’re in this together – and we don’t have to justify or prove ourselves.
Juventina
My nieces and nephews are a source of strength and hope for me. In many ways, I see my younger self in them, and I hope they recognize all the love, labor, and sacrifice that helped build the world they live in.
Multilingual Learner Family Night makes me hopeful. I used to stay within my own classroom, rarely connecting beyond it. This project has allowed me to connect with other amazing and kind teachers who share the same commitment to supporting students and doing what’s best for them.
Credits
This story was produced as part of the Sunrise Futures campaign developed by the James B. McClatchy Foundation. It was developed using the StoryEngine methodology, an open-sourced, narrative-based data collection tool developed by Loup Design.
Copyright James B. McClatchy Foundation. Published on the James B. McClatchy Foundation website using the Creative Commons License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ : Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)