At a young age, Dr. Mayra A. Lara (she/her/ella) immigrated to the United States from Mexico with her parents and sister, and they made Los Angeles their home. Reading was always a large part of Mayra’s life; her parents filled their home with books and newspapers and engaged her and her siblings in lively conversations. This practice made attending school as an undocumented person a much more manageable experience. With support from her parents, siblings, and mentors, Mayra became the first person in her family to be admitted to and graduate from a university. Her lived experience and academic journey fueled her interest in working in education.

Mayra began her career in the classroom as an English teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District. While at the district, she worked to create meaningful and lasting relationships with students and families. She carries her love for teaching and the young people with whom she worked to EdTrust-West. Mayra was drawn to EdTrust-West because of its focus on racial equity, supporting low-income students, and purposeful engagement with communities.

As the Director of Southern California Partnerships and Engagement, Mayra works closely with colleagues to advance educational equity for students of color and students living in poverty in Los Angeles County and across Southern CA. Mayra holds a B.A. in English Literature and an M.A. in Social and Cultural Analysis of Education from California State University Long Beach. Mayra also has a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership for Social Justice from Loyola Marymount University. Her research focused on young women of color’s experiences as they navigated the sexual politics of education.

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