Esmeralda Diaz

Esmeralda began her journey supporting students in 2018 as a City Year Corps Member at Santee Education Complex in South Central Los Angeles. During the pandemic, she supported students at Miguel Contreras High School in Westlake, providing virtual tutoring and guidance, particularly for English Language Learners navigating remote learning. She later joined After-School All-Stars, where she facilitated enrichment programs at schools in Historic Filipino town and Broadway-Manchester, encouraging creativity, exploration, and community building.

Esmeralda experienced a full-circle moment when she joined Communities In Schools of Los Angeles (CISLA) and was placed back at Santee, where her journey began. She has since continued her work with CISLA and is now proudly serving students at Belvedere Middle School in East Los Angeles. As a product of LAUSD schools and raised in Watts, Esmeralda holds a deep personal connection to her work. She is committed to empowering students, fostering belonging, and inspiring them to thrive in and beyond the classroom.