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Press Release: LAEP Community Schools Spark Joy and Belonging at Vibrant Pomona Heritage Celebration

POMONA, CA – October 6, 2025 – The Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP), a nonprofit dedicated to educational equity for over 40 years, successfully hosted a vibrant Hispanic Heritage Month celebration on September 26, 2025, at its partner site, Harrison Elementary in Pomona, that brought together students, families, and partner schools.

The cultural event, hosted by LAEP Community Schools Coordinators Samira Galvan and Julianna Morales, featured a passionate folklorico performance during student recess. The performance included LAEP Senior Evaluator Alejandra Portillo and her son, underscoring the organization’s belief that strong schools are built when staff and community are truly connected.

The spirit of inclusion and community was a central theme, drawing praise from attendees across the Pomona Unified School District:

“I love this festival. It’s inclusive and reflective of our community, and our students can celebrate their culture and see themselves in the event,” stated Claudia Williams, a TK Inclusion Special Education Teacher at nearby Lexington Elementary.

The sentiment was echoed by Caren Stafford of Lexington Elementary, who emphasized the beauty and broad impact of the event:

“Everything’s beautiful! [This event shows] outreach to the families and communities at this school (Harrison Elementary) and throughout Pomona, so it’s a wonderful blessing and reflection of the community.”

LAEP’s celebration is part of a larger, month-long commitment to providing holistic, culturally-relevant programming that supports the whole child.

“Our Community Schools are a hub for celebrating culture and building a strong sense of belonging,” said Samira Galvan. “Events like these reinforce our commitment to honoring the diverse heritage of our students and creating joyful learning experiences.”

LAEP’s leadership in educational equity and its commitment to community-driven initiatives continue to set a standard for what is possible when partners work together to uplift students, families, and schools.

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About Los Angeles Education Partnership

The Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP) is a nonprofit organization with over 40 years of experience dedicated to achieving educational equity. LAEP works with schools and communities to build strong partnerships that help students thrive from early childhood through college and career. For more information about Los Angeles Education Partnership, please visit www.laep.org.

Contact: LaCora Stephens | lstephens@laep.org | 213-622-5237, ext. 233 

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Melissa Peña

Chief Program Officer

Melissa Peña serves as the Chief Program Officer at the Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP), bringing more than two decades of experience advancing educational equity, youth development, and community-centered systems change. A mission-driven and strategic leader, she has dedicated her career to eliminating barriers to learning and seeking equitable outcomes for historically underserved youth. Prior to joining LAEP, Melissa spent over 14 years at Green Dot Public Schools where she launched and scaled high-impact initiatives that reduced chronic absenteeism by 27%, expanded access to wellness services, and built network-wide support systems for more than 600 homeless and foster youth across 18 schools. Her leadership is rooted in both entrepreneurial vision and disciplined execution—designing programs, teams, and infrastructure that strengthen outcomes for students while supporting the adults who serve them. 

Melissa’s commitment to equity has shaped her work across roles in education, youth development, and human services, including senior leadership positions at The Door in New York City and national diversity recruitment efforts at Teach For America. She began her career as a fourth-grade teacher in Newark, New Jersey, a formative experience that continues to ground her belief that the key to ensuring every young person meets their full potential lies in the power of family–school–community partnerships. At LAEP, Melissa leads program strategy with empathy, clarity, and a deep belief that children thrive when systems work together from “diapers to diplomas.” She holds a Master’s in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.A. in Sociology from UC Santa Barbara. Outside of work, she enjoys researching her family history, exploring nature, and family movie nights with her husband and two children. 

LaCora Stephens

Marketing and Communications

LaCora is a seasoned communications professional with a passion for using multimedia storytelling to empower movements for social justice and equality. For over 13 years, she has honed her skills as a versatile multimedia director, overseeing media operations across diverse organizations, including the NAACP Beverly Hills-Hollywood Branch and The Shirley Chisholm Education Foundation. Her deep understanding of the education and equity landscape fuels her creative vision, allowing her to craft impactful narratives that resonate with audiences.

With strategic communication​ and collaboration, LaCora excels in developing and executing compelling​ multimedia campaigns that not only raise​ awareness of critical issues but also​ inspire action and drive meaningful change. Her proficiency in concept​ development, production execution, and​ team leadership ensures projects are​ delivered with exceptional quality. Furthermore, LaCora fosters strong​ relationships with internal and external​ stakeholders, cultivating partnerships​ that maximize campaign reach and impact.

LaCora's educational foundation began with a Bachelor of Science in Theatre Education from Florida A&M University. She then pursued a master’s degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from Alliant University of San Diego. This passion for storytelling, fueled by her background in education, translates to her belief in the power of shared narratives. Her work in this area was recognized through her selection as a Women in Film Mentee and film director for Viola Davis’ sponsored film showcase, Diversity in Cannes. Now, LaCora leverages her love of storytelling and commitment to educational equity in her role leading marketing and communications for Los Angeles Education Partnership, while also serving on the board of the Pasadena African American Film Foundation.

Eric Barela, Ph.D.

Senior Consultant, Raya Cooper Impact Consulting

Dr. Eric Barela has worked as a measurement & evaluation professional for over 2 decades, helping organizations to better understand and act on their social impact. He’s currently a Senior Consultant with Raya Cooper Impact Consulting and previously worked at Salesforce, where he led efforts to measure the social impact of the company’s work with nonprofits and educational institutions across the globe. He began his career working with the Los Angeles Unified School District and with the nonprofit, Partners in School Innovation. Eric previously served on the Board of the American Evaluation Association and currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of the American Journal of Evaluation.

Eric grew up in East LA and was educated in the Montebello Unified School District. He holds a Ph.D. in education from UCLA. He loves a good road trip, with his husband serving as trusty navigator.