Fortaleza, Inc.

Fortaleza, Inc.

Fortaleza’s mission is to catalyze collective action among parents, educators, community members, and faith leaders to ensure educational equity, and to remove systemic barriers impacting the education outcomes of Latino students.

Our purpose is to advocate for the removal of structural inequities and barriers impacting the education of Latino students and to advocate for the elimination of Latino education opportunity gaps, including but not limited to:

  • The creation of a paraprofessional to teacher pipeline.
  • Staff bias-awareness and cultural competency training.
  • Hiring a proportionate amount of Latino educators and administrators.
  • Increased focus on retention of Latino staff.
  • Greater transparency in disciplinary practices.
  • Enhanced access to transportation opportunities.
  • Promotion of information on existing academic excellence and extracurricular opportunities.
  • Access to higher-level courses
  • Graduation and student attrition rates
  • Access to extracurricular activities

40.6% of Lowell Public School students identify as Latino. They the largest subgroup by race/ethnicity, not inclusive of other Latino students that are not of Spanish speaking countries. Latino students face extensive disparities in educational success and attainment.

Ways To Support
Thank you for supporting Fortaleza Inc.

Your contribution can support our work to:

  • Establish equitable access to educational resources for Latino students in Lowell, Massachusetts 
  • Ensure increased Latino Representation in the Lowell Educational System
  • Eliminate disparities in discipline, advanced-level course and program participation, and graduation rates of Lowell Latino students.
  • Provide college scholarships to Latino students 

If you would prefer to mail us a contribution, please send a check payable to:  

C/O LAW OFFICES OF MAYTE RAMOS

16 JACKSON STREET

Lowell, MA 01852

Please note in the memo if your donation is for a specific program, scholarships, or general operations. Questions? Reach out to info.fortaleza.inc@gmail.com

We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, all contributions are tax-deductible. No goods or services will be provided in exchange for your donation.

Our History

Beginning as a grassroots group in 2017, Fortaleza was born out of a call to action by Luis Pedroso to a group of Latino community leaders, parents, educators, and faith leaders to find a solution to the achievement gap of Latinos students within Lowell. Fortaleza’s founders pondered the question: Why are Latino students not attaining the same level of success in comparison to other groups of students (including other marginalized groups) in our Lowell Public School and beyond? Through many brainstorming sessions, focus groups, parent and student meetings, and the help of educators, the group determined that advocacy for system change was its priority.

Fortaleza’s mission is to catalyze collective action among Lowell’s parents, educators, community members, and faith leaders to ensure educational equity, and to remove systemic barriers impacting the education outcomes of Latino students.