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Mercy Carabajo describes founding Empowered Parents and advocacy for East Ramapo students
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Summary
Mercy Carabajo, an Ecuadorian immigrant and parent in Spring Valley, described founding the Organización de Padres Empoderados in 2022 to address challenges she witnessed in the East Ramapo Central School District and said the group secured meetings with state legislators and a visit from the New York commissioner of education.
Mercy Carabajo, a parent and long‑time local resident, told meeting organizers she immigrated from Ecuador about two and a half decades ago and now works full time as a nanny while advocating for her children's education in the East Ramapo Central School District.
Carabajo said that after the birth of her youngest child she felt compelled to learn the district's teaching methods and processes. She described witnessing recurring challenges in schools and said she and other mothers began voicing concerns collectively to defend both their children's education and their cultural values.
"In 2022 se creó la Organización de Padres Empoderados," she said, adding the group formed with support from Proyecto Faro and the New York Civil Liberties Union. According to Carabajo, the organization holds bimonthly meetings to analyze problems and develop solutions for issues affecting students and families in the district; the transcript does not specify whether "bimonthly" means twice a month or every two months.
Carabajo told the meeting the group organized local mobilizations that led to personal meetings with state legislators in Albany and arranged a local visit by the New York commissioner of education to discuss parents' concerns about the district. She also said she has supported district meetings on educational, cultural and hygiene matters and helps East Ramapo residents access needed resources.
The provided transcript records follow‑up questions from a meeting questioner asking how many children Carabajo has, what country she emigrated from, and whom Empowered Parents invited to discuss concerns in Ramapo; the transcript excerpt does not contain her responses.
