Rosa was raised in Lowell, MA having moved from Lares, PR to Lowell as an infant. A product of the Lowell Public School system, Rosa’s journey towards justice in education began in 2004 when her eldest child, who is on the autism spectrum, began his own educational journey in the Lowell Public Schools. Her passion for ensuring that the voices of all students and families (regardless of race, socioeconomic status, disability status, LGBTQ status, and the like) are elevated to ensure equity only increased once she began working for Lowell Public Schools. Having recognized the significant opportunity gaps Latino students were facing within Lowell Public Schools and beyond, Rosa along with several Latino leaders convened a group in 2017 which would be the beginnings of what would later become Fortaleza Inc. Rosa’s identity as a Latina Lowellian allows her to see the immense potential the City of Lowell has to become a model for other communities that strive for true inclusion and equity. She believes strongly in the work being done as a collective in order to be truly effective, which is why she lives by the motto, Juntos (together) We Rise! In addition to her Associates in Human Services she obtained through Middlesex Community College, Rosa holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Social Work through Salem State University, a Master’s in Education in Organizational Management through Endicott College, and is currently enrolled in a Doctor of Education program through Boston College. In her spare time, Rosa enjoys cooking, binge-watching tv series, reading books of various genres, and most importantly, spending time with her family and friends.