Published June 7, 2019.

Julio Navarrete, who was previously Immigrants Rising’s former Arts & Creativity Manager and now serves on our Leadership Council, has been named “Teacher of the Year” at American High School, the largest in Fremont.

Six years ago, Navarrete won political asylum in the U.S. and a life-changing work permit. By then Navarrete had earned a master’s degree in education and a teaching certificate at The National Hispanic University in San Jose.

“Every day I wake up feeling grateful,” said Navarrete, in his fourth year as a Spanish teacher at American High. “Just the fact that I’m able to step into a high school classroom and be with my students and teach and be part of this community. That’s all I could ever ask for.”

Read the full story: He Went From Undocumented Student to Teacher of the Year, Blazing a Path for Others (KQED News)