Our Parent Ambassadors program gives parents and child care providers of early learners the tools they need to advocate for meaningful, lasting change in early childhood education policy. In this series, we’re highlighting our Class of 2024 Parent Ambassadors. Get to know them!
Liliana Martinez
Mother of 1
In-home provider for 5 years
Enjoys time with her family
Favorite Quote:
“Ser feliz en la vida (be happy in life)” – Liliana’s father
Tell us about yourself!
My name is Liliana. I am 31. My husband and I got married right when the pandemic started in 2020. We have a beautiful 11-month-old daughter named Liah. I was born in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and came to the United States when I was 5 years old. I was a DACA recipient for many years until I was able to receive my residency. I graduated from Southeast Community College with my associate’s in Early Childhood Education and soon after opened my own in-home child care. I ran my business for 5 years up until just this past month when all of my preschoolers moved on to Kindergarten. I figured this would be a good time to take a break and dedicate more time to my daughter. I am very excited to be part of PA because it will give me an opportunity to continue engaging in what I love but with a more relaxed schedule. I can’t wait to continue learning from all my peers.
I feel like my favorite pastime changes with the season. My husband and I enjoy going to the movie theater and catching up on all the Marvel movies. We also enjoy visiting our mothers and spending time with them. Honestly, anything that involves being with my family is a favorite pastime of mine. I enjoy going to the gym to work out as a self-care practice. I also like to have get-togethers with my closest friend and just eat and talk. I also enjoy watching a good Netflix series.
What made you want to become a Parent Ambassador?
I got an email through NECC. I feel like the email came in at just the right time. If I was not closing my business, I probably would have just skipped the email. Since I knew I was going to have more free time, I read through it, went to the webpage and something about it just intrigued me. It felt like this was the next chapter in my early childhood career. I really look forward to seeing where this will take me next.
What do you see as the greatest need for your community?
There is a need for high-quality care for all families at an affordable cost, but that also compensates the teachers for all of the hard work they put in. Families should also understand the importance of quality care and how their children will benefit from it so that they, too, can work with us in finding a solution to the problem of high costs. We are not working against each other. This is a problem we all need to work on together to find a solution for everyone.
What do you hope to accomplish during your Ambassadorship?
To learn to communicate effectively and become a good leader for my community.
Who or what inspires you?
My parents both inspire me in different ways. My father was the happiest person I ever knew. Even when life was hard on him, he always had a smile on his face and never mistreated anyone for any of the bad things that happened to him. He had a saying, “Ser feliz en la vida” (be happy in life), and up until the day he passed, he said he had a happy life because he had the family he always dreamed of. He is my motivation and inspiration to always try to find the positive in things in life, even when you feel like everything is working against you, and to always take accountability for your actions and not blame others. My mother also inspires me on a day-to-day basis. She is the strongest, most resilient woman I know. The way she cared for my father while he battled his illness and never left his side is admirable. She doesn’t speak much English, yet she continues to work hard and not let that get in the way. I love my parents and they are my inspiration and motivation to always be good and to continue to push forward.
