White House Hispanic Initiative executive director visits CEHD

Melody Gonzales, executive director of the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics, was in the Twin Cities on October 11 to speak at an event and had time to visit CEHD with Melisa López Franzen, UMN executive director of Government and Community Relations.

Gonzales took a tour of Campbell Hall and heard from Institute of Child Development (ICD) PhD student Jasmine Banegas about her interdisciplinary work with School of Social Work Assistant Professor Saida Abdi to provide trauma-informed services to Latine children and families in Minneapolis Public Schools. 

“Melody noted, after visiting with me, Ryan Warren, Tabitha Grier-Reed, and staff and students in ICD and FSOS, how readily we are able to translate research to practice in areas of critical need,” says Dean Michael C. Rodriguez. “She also noted the opportunities for underrepresented faculty, staff, and students to be engaged in this work—and how essential that will be to secure successful futures for so many students, families, and communities. She looks forward to working with us more in the near future.”