Maria Ximena is an Ed.M. candidate in the Learning Design, Innovation, and Technology Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE). As a first-generation college student and undocumented immigrant Latina woman, the gaps and needs she encountered in her educational trajectory have now become the focal points in the work she does with under resourced communities in both research and practice.

Before coming to HGSE, she obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Community Psychology from DePaul University. During her undergraduate career, she became involved in research endeavors focusing on educational and mental health outcomes among immigrant youth and youth of color – this ultimately led her to her passion for out-of-school time learning spaces and family engagement.

Post-graduation, she worked for community-based youth development organizations across the Chicagoland area designing culturally relevant, social justice driven learning and engagement experiences as part of her role in managing out-of-school time programming. At this point in her career, Maria Ximena is working to bridge her work in research and practice to actively assess, design, and implement evidence-based learning climates and out-of-school time spaces that promote healing and empowerment for Black, Brown, and immigrant youth and families.