Garcia’s journey began unconventionally. Raised by a single grandmother who didn’t drive, Garcia grew up in an environment of love. Garcia’s Grandmother’s kindness shaped her and instilled a passion for doing great things , and making a difference in the lives of others. “I am who I am in my professional life because of that experience,” Garcia said. A little more on the conventional side, Garcia’s path towards education, like so many others, drew itself from great experiences with teachers she had growing up. One third-grade teacher was a significant influence. So much so that one day, Garcia walked eight miles to school after missing her bus so she could attend this teacher’s class. “You wanted to show up every day because you knew you were going to be loved when you got into his class, and that’s what I think was my starting point; to be that person for somebody.” Garcia spent the first part of her professional life as a K-12 bi-lingual educator, but now she focuses on giving other teachers the tools they need to empower and inspire. Two critical ingredients Garcia believes make all the difference for educators is relationship-building and creating an environment of trust within the school building. “It’s a process that takes time, and that’s intentional, that we make transparent, and we vocalize,” Garcia said.