About Us
Our Mission
Our mission is to connect and empower Latinos in early care and education to unlock their agency, knowledge, skills and network while deepening their community impact.
Our Vision
Centering on the lived experience of the Latino community, our vision is to mobilize and influence educational policies, practices and opportunities to break down barriers, increase representation and promote inclusivity. We will create a brighter tomorrow where the voices and leadership of Latinas are represented and valued.
Our Story
Our organization is founded on the deep knowledge and lived experiences of Dra. Quiroz and Dra. Melgoza, who have worked in the Early Care and Education (ECE) field for over 25 years. Through our work with ECE practitioners, we have seen firsthand the need to create a space where Latinas can come together to empower, amplify, and uplift each other. We have created this organization to empower and uplift Latinas, recognizing the need for a space where we can come together to make a difference.
Unidos for ECE is a grassroots effort by Latinas for Latinas, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Our mission is to empower Latinos in ECE with the knowledge, skills, and network needed to deepen their community impact. We embrace and uplift our Latinidad, understanding that it is essential in finding our voice and agency to resist, persist, and transcend.
Our values of cultura, cariño, sabiduría, solidaridad and excelencia, guide our work.
As an organization led by and focused on Latinas, we offer ECE business consulting, workshops, leadership coaching and training that centers the experiences and voices of Latinas. We are here to partner with Latina leaders aspiring to or currently working towards formal leadership roles in the ECE field. Our goal is to provide a range of services and collaborate with individuals, teams, organizations, and systems ready to create a strong community of equity-minded leaders.
Unidos for ECE was developed with the intention of prioritizing Latina women leaders. We firmly believe that the collective and collaborative nature of Latina leadership is a powerful force for change.
This is just the beginning of a movement that will bring emergent Latina leaders together to create positive impact in the world. We invite you to join us on this journey towards connection, empowerment, leadership, and a brighter future for ourselves, the children we serve, and our communities. Unidos, everyone benefits.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Practitioners Voices California [PVCA] for their generous philanthropic support and supporting our vision.
¡Unidos podemos!
#UnidosForECE #Connection #Empowerment #Leadership #LatinaLeadership #Equity
Our Values
Cultura
Honoring and celebrating
our Latinidad
We recognize our invaluable funds of knowledge, traditions, linguistic assets and contributions to the ECE field and our communities.Cariño
Equitable well-being of
our community
We foster a culture of care, creating a ripple effect of positive impact beyond our organization and into the lives of children, families, and communities.
Sabiduria
Honing our knowledge in
service of our community
We promote positive outcomes through
evidence-based strategies, culturally
responsive training, and advocacy that
enhance access, quality, and equity in ECE.Solidaridad
A community by
Latinos, for Latinos
We eliminate systemic barriers that prevent Latinos from advancing in their careers and ensuring that ECE programs and services are culturally and linguistically responsive and equitable for all children and families.Excelencia
Accountable to the
highest standards
We provide high-quality programs, resources, and services that promote reflection, personal growth, develop leadership skills, and foster a sense of belonging and empowerment. Our Work Today
What began as one fellowship has grown into a broader movement. Unidos for ECE now works across leadership development, policy advocacy, and systems change, building the pipeline of Latina and Latino leaders in early childhood education while pushing for the equitable funding, representation, and workforce conditions our communities deserve. Every program we build, from ELLA-ES to our policy and advocacy work, carries forward the same conviction: Latino children, families, and educators are not on the margins of the early care and education system. We are essential to it.
Meet the Team
Yohana Quiroz, Ed.D
Founder
Dra. Yohana I. Quiróz founded Unidos for ECE and created the ELLA-ES Fellowship to open doors for Latina leaders in early care and education. Born in Honduras and raised in San Francisco's Mission District, she came of age as an undocumented child and English language learner, became a young parent at seventeen, and built her path as a first generation scholar. That journey now fuels everything she does, and it led her to coin the concept of En La Lucha Mindshift, a framework that transforms lived struggle into a source of strength for personal and professional growth.
Dra. Quiróz brings nearly three decades of leadership in early care and education, and social service programs to her work. Her doctoral research examined the testimonios of Latina leaders in early care and education, work that grounds her advocacy in both scholarship and lived experience. She also serves as Board President of the East Bay Chapter of CAAEYC. Dra. Quiróz leads Unidos for ECE with a clear conviction: Latino children, families, and educators are not on the margins of the early care and education system. They are essential to it. Through Unidos for ECE, she is building a new generation of Latina leadership, breaking down barriers, and lighting the way for those coming up behind her.
Martha Melgoza, Ed.D
Co-Founder
Dra. Martha Melgoza, a first-generation Chicana from Los Angeles, California, co-founded Unidos for ECE alongside Dra. Quiroz. Their collective mission is to celebrate and empower Latino children through visionary initiatives. With a 35-year career in early care and education, Dra. Melgoza is committed to recognizing children's strengths and nurturing their capabilities, often overlooked in a world that doesn't fully appreciate their agency. Her work empowers educators, leaders, and families by fostering a deep understanding of child development, social-emotional growth, and physical well-being. This mission harmonizes with Unidos for ECE's core values, focusing on uplifting Latina ECE educators and advocating for a more inclusive and supportive educational landscape.
Martha's profound passion centers on working collaboratively with young children and their families, with a primary focus on enhancing adults' comprehension of child development. Through this perspective, she equips adults with the tools to create authentic and enriching learning environments while appreciating children's unique viewpoints. Martha's extensive experience underscores her unwavering dedication to children and her commitment to nurturing respectful and inclusive educational spaces within communities, aligning seamlessly with Unidos for ECE's mission of empowering Latina ECE educators and fostering inclusive and respectful learning environments.-
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Giannina Perez, MPP
ELLA-ES Leadership Coach
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Alexis Becerra, M.S., LMFT
ELLA-ES Trauma Healing & Wellness Coach
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Melissa Serrano, MA
ELLA-ES Mentor, Trainer & Facilitator
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Gigi Munoz, EdD
ELLA-ES Mentor
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Azul Muller, MA
ELLA-ES Mentor & Alumni
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Lucero Irizarry, MA
ELLA-ES Mentor & Alumni
