Heroes of the COVID Crisis: How Stacy Galdamez of Think Together Stepped Up To Make A Difference During The Covid19 Pandemic
What frightens me the most about the pandemic is losing people I love and seeing people I love lose people they love. What also worries me the most is the impact it is having on our youth, particularly those who do not have the love, support and resources needed to protect them from the challenges the pandemic has created. And also, I worry about Think Together’s students and families, and how the children in the underserved communities we serve are facing a new layer of challenges. Without access to technology or academic support coupled with social isolation, I fear that the achievement gap for these students will only continue to widen and there will be long-term implications.
As part of my series about people who stepped up to make a difference during the COVID19 Pandemic, I had the pleasure of interviewing Stacy Galdamez.
Stacy Galdamez is a General Manager at Think Together, California’s largest nonprofit provider of afterschool education and expanded learning programs. She joined Think Together in 2011 as a Site Coordinator, and quickly climbed the ranks to Quality Assurance Coach and Director of Programs and Operations before taking on her current role. A recent Next Generation of Afterschool Leaders honoree, Galdamez was recognized as a leader under 30 who has made a significant impact in her community with potential to influence the field of afterschool education for years to come. With 16+ years of industry experience and a product of afterschool education herself, Galdamez is no stranger to the impact that academic enrichment programs have for underserved youth. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Galdamez has been instrumental in supporting students in low-income communities, in foster care or children of essential workers with the tools, resources and support needed most. In the past year, she’s helped establish Think Together’s in-person learning hubs in the San Gabriel Valley and Bay Area regions which are designed to provide students with limited access to digital devices and in need of academic support with the technology equipment, homework help and distance and social emotional learning support needed to help to mitigate learning loss and provide a safe space for kids to continue to learn and grow during the pandemic shutdown.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us how and where you grew up?
I was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA to two very hard-working Spanish-only speaking parents. Although both of my parents grew up with limited access to education, they understood the value of getting a quality education. For this reason, education became very important to me at a young age. The hard work ethic they instilled in me created a mindset for me that no matter our background only I can limit myself.
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
If I had to pick one, “Daring Greatly” by Brene Brown probably has been one of the most influential books for me in most recent years. The book made me begin to embrace vulnerability and not limit myself to my fears of uncertainty and ensure that I continue to put myself in uncomfortable situations. This book has pushed me to allow myself to take risks.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life or your work?
“Two roads diverged in a wood and I — I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” by Robert Frost. I was gifted this quote one day and its resonated so much for me because the hardest decisions I’ve had to make in life were always more lonely ones. My entire life I’ve always tried to stay true to myself. Do things because I believe it’s the right thing, because I want to, because it feels right now, no matter what the journey entails.
Ok, thank you for that. Now let’s move to the focus of our interview. You are currently leading a social impact organization that has stepped up during the COVID-19 pandemic. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to address?
Think Together, California’s largest nonprofit provider of afterschool education and expanded learning programs is partnering with school districts throughout the state with a mission to change the odds for kids. We are working relentlessly to support school districts to close the achievement gaps for students in underserved communities. This past year, we worked tirelessly to meet the moment by evolving to help meet the current and unique needs of our partners while always keeping things student centered. We have re-designed our programs, our offerings and our support to ensure that we are doing the best that we can for our students, partners and our communities.
In your opinion, what does it mean to be a hero?
A hero to me is someone who decides to put others above themselves and chooses to use their own personal power to empower others even when the circumstances may make it difficult to do so. A hero doesn’t shy away from doing what they know is the right thing to do. Especially if they are in a position to do so.
In your opinion or experience, what are “5 characteristics of a hero? Please share a story or example for each.
Five characteristics of a hero to me are bravery, courage, humility, selflessness and love. When it comes to being brave and courageous the first individuals that come to mind are the ones that I get to work with every day. Particularly our frontline staff at Think Together who are working directly with our students on a regular basis despite the potential risk involved but courageously do it for the kids we serve. Humility is a characteristic that I encounter from these same individuals. Our teams do so much for our communities and children and are committed to doing whatever they can for the betterment of students without ever seeking acknowledgement or credit even though they are so deserving of it. When I think of being selfless and loving my mom comes to mind. Everything she’s ever done has been for her children’s future no matter what it meant for her in the moment. She is the reason I love unconditionally and have always led with love.
If heroism is rooted in doing something difficult, scary, or even self-sacrificing, what do you think drives some people — ordinary people — to become heroes?
I think having love in your heart for people is the root cause of selflessness. Love is not limited to the extraordinary, therefore everyday people can become heroes when they decide to embrace difficulty for the benefit of others.
What was the specific catalyst for you or your organization to take heroic action? At what point did you personally decide that heroic action needed to be taken?
The catalyst for Think Together was our students. Rising to meet the moment for our communities when they needed us the most. During COVID-19 when children were now operating via distant learning and experiencing social isolation, we knew our students needed some consistency, academic support and to engage with other students. I think for me it was when we were having conversations with our school district partners and they were sharing some of our families’ experiences and the challenges they faced during the pandemic. As an organization, we began conducting wellness checks and so many families expressed the support they needed because they couldn’t help their children navigate technology and get their schoolwork done. If my life felt so heavily impacted, I couldn’t imagine what these families were going through. I thought about my childhood years and how my parents would have struggled if in this situation. And so, I felt empowered with the support of Think Together to help these students and families receive the academic, social emotional, distant learning and technological support they needed to push through this challenging time.
Who are your heroes, or who do you see as heroes today?
My mom is my hero. She has always been and will continue to be my hero. I thank my mom for her courage and bravery to leave El Salvador alone to come to the U.S. for a better and safer life. She is my hero because she’s always worked so hard to do whatever she can to make sure we had whatever we needed including a great education because she never had one herself. She is courageous, brave and self-less and I aspire to be like her every day.
Let’s talk a bit about what is happening in the world today. What specifically frightened or frightens you most about the pandemic?
What frightens me the most about the pandemic is losing people I love and seeing people I love lose people they love. What also worries me the most is the impact it is having on our youth, particularly those who do not have the love, support and resources needed to protect them from the challenges the pandemic has created. And also, I worry about Think Together’s students and families, and how the children in the underserved communities we serve are facing a new layer of challenges. Without access to technology or academic support coupled with social isolation, I fear that the achievement gap for these students will only continue to widen and there will be long-term implications.
Despite that, what gives you hope for the future? Can you explain?
These days of adversity can feel dark and hopeless, however, what I have seen in these times is the beauty that happens when people unite and collaborate in order to serve others. At Think Together, we’ve overcome so many challenges this past year, all in an effort to support our students as best as we could. The union of people working for the same cause promoted a strong determination to be creative and innovative. The resilience that everyone demonstrated gives me strong hope for our future.
What has inspired you the most about the behavior of people during the pandemic, and what behaviors do you find most disappointing?
Humility and selflessness present in those who we’re willing to fight against the challenges brought on by the pandemic were the behaviors that most stood out and inspired me. The behaviors most disappointing were the ones opposite — the attitudes and behaviors that communicated there wasn’t much to be done. This in my opinion, is kryptonite to the creativity and innovation needed to overcome the challenges faced this year and for Think Together that means helping students receive a quality education whether they’re practicing virtual, hybrid or in-person education.
Has this crisis caused you to reassess your view of the world or of society? We would love to hear what you mean.
I don’t think it has caused me to reassess any of my views, however, it has brought light to social issues that I’ve known existed. In my profession working for an afterschool learning provider, I’m exposed to many of the inequalities that exist amongst certain communities and families. Before the pandemic, it was easy for those who were paying attention to these inequalities to see and be aware of the need. I think this pandemic has magnified the inequalities that exist in a way that it has become more evident. And it is my hope that we will then see more advocacy for change. All students, no matter their socioeconomic status deserve access to a quality education.
What permanent societal changes would you like to see come out of this crisis?
At Think Together, we know that these educational inequalities have always had a negative impact on low-income communities throughout the school year. However, there is also research that suggests an even larger inequality gap for education occurs during the summer months. The reason is that the resources are just not equivalent or available for lower-income families the same way they are for others. This summer gap in learning, due to the pandemic, has now been extended to not just three months but a whole year. Current government budgets have allocated additional resources and funds to school districts in an effort to recover student learning caused by the pandemic. However, the societal change I’m hoping and fighting to see is continued legislation that provides these same resources — not just as pandemic recovery — but as a moral responsibility to close the inequality and achievement gap in education.
If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?
I would tell young people about the power of unity and how many great things get accomplished when people come together for a common cause. I would also make sure they understood how good it feels to do good. It’s almost selfish to be selfless and work for others because of the amount of goodness it provides your soul.
You are a person of influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
I don’t know that I have a movement that I would start but there are many that already exist that do so much good for people. If everyone had an attitude that encouraged “paying it forward” that would be movement enough for me.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them.
If I could have a private breakfast or lunch with someone today, I would love to sit down with Jill Biden, our First Lady. Her background in education and her current platform, would not only provide a space for me to learn from her, but on the other hand, I could speak on behalf of the communities I serve so that their voices could be heard at a nationwide level.
How can our readers follow you online?
Readers can follow me online through our Think Together platforms @thinktogether on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter and https://thinktogether.org/.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
Heroes of the COVID Crisis: How Stacy Galdamez of Think Together Stepped Up To Make A Difference… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.