As I begin my presidential term, I am thinking both about the importance of NAELPA as an organization and the critical role that our field plays in the schools and districts of our country. As the past president, Dr. Nicole Leach noted in the Winter 2024 newsletter, that this year signals an important milestone for our field-the 50th anniversary of Lau v. Nichols, the landmark case that put in place requirements to serve multilingual learners (MLs) by providing language support. Since then, we have seen many changes in education pedagogy and priorities and in how MLs are supported in schools, and it is incumbent upon us to advocate for and provide the languages services and access to general education content to which our students are entitled. 

But this work can be hard! In my 20+ years of work in this field, I have felt inspired, hopeful, passionate, and motivated, but at times I have also felt challenged: by longstanding barriers, equity issues, and access to resources for our students and their families. Despite the commitment and passion that we all have for MLs and for this field, the work can feel difficult at times, and that is one of the reasons that being engaged with NAELPA has been such a rich and beneficial experience in my professional life. Through NAELPA, we have the opportunity to come together to engage in projects, activities, learning opportunities, and networking with colleagues around the country. Through the NAELPA community, I have learned so much and have engaged with an incredibly professional and committed community. This has, in turn, made me a better educator, advocate, and leader.

As we enter the new NAELPA board year, I encourage you to consider how to become more involved in NAELPA, too. There are so many ways to engage with this organization! Consider attending events, like the webinars, coffee chats or annual conference, or join us on a committee where lots of the NAELPA work happens. Or maybe all of the above! NAELPA becomes stronger as an organization the more its members are engaged and participate, and we all benefit from a diverse range of voices at the table. I hope to see you at one of our committee meetings and events! Thank you for all you do, and wishing you a wonderful school year to come!