Consuelo Saragoza believes in the importance of education, her culture and always being true to yourself. Her Grandparents were one of ten Mexican families who moved to work on the railroads of a little town in Eastern Nevada called Battle Mountain in the early 1900’s. Her mother had come from New Mexico and met and married her father there and that is where Consuelo and her siblings grew up. Her parents always instilled the importance of receiving an education. Even though her grandfather had to teach himself to read and to write, and neither of her parents finished high school, they still saw the value for a higher education.
Growing up in a small town Saragoza wondered why none of her teachers looked like her. This was until the new band teacher changed her way of thinking about who she could become and what her future could be like. In her mind she had never seen or known anyone like her, someone with a higher education. She believes this still happens with kids today, and that if the representation isn’t there then they often may feel as if it is nothing is possible. There was great passion in her voice as Saragoza explained how she feels education is extremely vital and important for the children of the future. Like it did for her she believes that by one presence or one word, that it can really shape the minds of kids.
She came to Oregon for college and did two years in eastern Oregon and finished her undergraduate at Southern Oregon University. One of her greatest life experiences was in college when she went on an exchange program to Mexico for a year. The experience helped her find out more of who she was and being in her grandparents country allowed her to understand them. Most importantly to her it helped to be able to bring her three cultures together. She spent many years working with education, not teaching directly in the classroom but instead helping struggling children make it through school. She later decided to get her master’s in public administration; to her she feels like her work in public health and education have always gone together. Saragoza currently works for the Multnomah County Health department.
She cites her grandparents and family as having influenced her along the way because of their ongoing support. A few mentors, specifically one from when she was nineteen in school, saw something in her at the time that she couldn’t see herself, which helped push her. Then she noted how little words or interactions that she has had with people who say something helpful to her also have had a great influence on her. Truth, honesty and respect are all values that Saragoza is committed to each day. She believes in being as good as a person as you can be because in the end you are the one who has to live with what you do. Additionally she commits to these values to model for her daughter, who she has also learned from her the importance of being willing to listen and see others points of view.
When asked about her greatest accomplishment she paused, but then replied with certainty that as a mother it is her daughter Antonia. Saragoza hopes that she has been able to model the importance of their culture, lending a hand and never giving up to her daughter, and that she should always be true to her values and to keep doing what needs to be done. A very important takeaway that she wants everyone to know is that as the Latino community grows “it is important to create pathways for the generations behind us and to also remember to thank those who have come before us”.
Today she and her partner have been together for 25 years and have a 16 year old daughter. She enjoys fast walking, cooking, spending time with her family, and reading, especially Isabel Allende.Saragoza will be running for the Portland Public Schools District zone 6.