Topic: Who We Are

Maria Luisa moved to the U.S. at age 15 not knowing any English. She was immediately shunted into remedial classes in every subject, even though she was in all advanced classes in Mexico.

“I went to the counselor and I told her that I wanted to go to college,” Maria Luisa says. “She told me ‘people like you don’t go to college’”.

We spend a lot of time here at Stand talking about all of our amazing volunteer leaders who, together, power the movement to improve public education.

But this month, we are launching the "Why I Stand" series to introduce our blog readers to Stand staff members around the country. These folks spend countless hours training parents, organizing campaigns, supporting other Stand staff across the country, and a whole lot else.

Next on her Women Who Stand interview series, Tyler talked to Shannon Campion. Shannon founded the Portland, Oregon chapter of Stand for Children in 2002 (where Tyler worked as an organizer and director starting in 2008). Shannon has been the Executive Director of Stand for Children in Washington State for six years.

Christian was recently on our blog (welcoming her to her new job as National Campaigns Director) but that didn’t stop Stand staff from lobbying Tyler to interview Christian for the Women who Stand series as well. What’s Christians’ deal? And why does she have so many fans? Tyler called her for an interview and found out.