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I feel like what helps me
in this job is that I can relate

to students because I have been
where they are at, I'’ve gone

through similar situations but
I also can relate to the parents

because my parents and I were
really- we had a really strong

relationship, and I know
what their side of it is like.

My name is Andrea Pérez, and I
am the Family Community Liaison

at Pomolita Middle School.

So, here at Pomolita Middle
School, we have about 750 to 800

students and about half
of those are Hispanic.

A lot of those families have
moved here from Mexico

they don't know English,
and some of them don't even know

how to read or write,
so I help a lot with that too.

I connect with them and give
them whatever help I can.

I was born here but I lived in
Mexico for a few years,

so I came back when I was in
second grade and it was really

difficult for me because back
then, there weren't many Spanish

speaking people on the school
staff. I always had to go with

my parents and be the translator
because they don't speak

English. When I heard about this
job, I thought it would be-

I thought it was a great job to
begin with because there's

someone at the school who can
help parents like mine to

translate and to help them with
filling out paperwork, fill out

anything, and they don't have to
worry about those kinds of

things. So, we're a really
good resource for them.

They can call us with any
question, and we can find out

for them and help them
in the best way that we can.

It makes me feel good that I can
be that person for these

families that they can go to for
any question that they have.

If they need to know anything
about our school or about the

community, they can come and ask
me. If I don't know the answer,

I'll find out and get back to
them, but I think it's really

important to have someone
that anybody can go to.

I have a parent on the phone
who I'’ve been talking to for a

little while, and she really
wants to talk to you about some

issues she'’s having with her
student. When would be a good

time for you guys to meet?

I think the key to helping
parents relax and trust us is to

just listen to them.
Make sure that their concerns

are heard and that they know
that we're doing something about

it. Just listening to them and
making sure that they understand

that we care, helps a lot.
It puts their mind at ease,

I think, because they know that
there's someone that they can

automatically go to. I enjoy
helping them connect with who

they need to connect to.
I think that without this

position at our schools,
it would be more difficult for

parents to connect and I really,
really like talking to them and

just getting their story and
being able to help them.

When I go home at the end
of the day, I just feel really

accomplished for being there for
people, being there for parents,

whether they're speaking English
or Spanish. But most especially

the Spanish-speaking families
because I was there for them,

and I did the best I could to
help them, and it makes

me feel really good. And I think
back to when I was younger,

and we had the same issues
so, I just told my mom, like,

I just feel really, really
lucky to be here and to help

these parents with all
of these things.