Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Estrada.
Hi Maria, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I came to Utah attracted by one thing: a program at the University of Utah where a group of really interesting people, professors, people of multiple cultures, African American, Indigenous, Latinx, LGBQ+, White, were dedicated to the pursuit of social justice through education. Talk about gems in SLC! With a lot of effort, I graduated with a PhD and it has been now 23 years of dedicating my career to studying inequity and the history that got us to this deeply inequitable present. Today, I work with organizations all over the world, leading conversations about the power and privilege individuals and institutions have and how to use that power to bring about the change they want to see in the world.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has been an arduous road. It began in Colombia, South America. I came to the US at a time when the US war on drugs was being borne by Colombians. My path through the immigration system to get a stable immigrant status was formidable. When my student status expired, and with the help of many allies, I fought deportation and won my right to stay to finish my education. I don’t know if today I would succeed through that same struggle, and often wonder what would have become of my life if the immigration behemoth had won? Today, I enjoy the many privileges of being a US citizen and I do not take any of them for granted. They were too costly. I decided to make my life here meaningful and purposeful and delight in saying, “mine is the quintessential immigrant story.” I imagine my great great grandchildren, 100 years from now retelling the story of their small and badass granny who believed so deeply what Lin Manuel Miranda put so beautifully: “Since the beginning of the great, unfinished symphony that is our American experiment, time and time again, immigrants get the job done.”
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am known for facilitating conversations about racial inequity and other kinds of injustices. I have worked for a multiplicity of organizations large and small helping those who want to see those organizations become more equitable and just. I support them in becoming competent in the language of equity and building a common vocabulary. I give them tools and frameworks so they understand where their organizations have been, where they are now and what they can do today to become more inclusive, equitable, and kind. Some call this work strategic planning. I call it deep heart work.
There are so many pieces to this work. People need to understand that power is always in operation in our interactions and that individuals — given their social identities — have power and privilege that they can become more conscious of. Once they are aware of that power they can think about ways to deploy that power within their organizations and communities to enact change.
I also lead conversations on unconscious bias, leadership for our challenging times, effective communication and so on.
I am very proud to serve a number of organizations as a board member. I am the first woman of color to chair the board of trustees at Tracy Aviary our song-filled oasis in the middle of Liberty Park. Our mission is to inspire love of birds and nature through our education and conservation programs. I have been working alongside Tim Brown, the Aviary’s exceptionally effective leader, to both diversify our board and to let ALL communities in SLC–particularly those who are usually excluded, that the Aviary is theirs to enjoy the wondrous healing power of a walk among beautiful birds.
I also serve on the board of Jewish Family Service of Utah JFS which exists to give a leg up to individuals and families facing challenging situations. I joined because of the effective work they do and because of their board chair, Darcy Amiel. She is fierce and devoted to the idea of centering equity and striving towards even more equitable goals. Finally, I serve Men Healing, which through our Weekends of Recovery, provides transformative and profoundly healing experiences to men who are survivors of sexual abuse. During those 3 days, men hear that they are not alone and they are now part of a community that will see them through their work towards healing and resilience. I love serving these boards and have discovered how much I thrive working alongside dedicated, generous, kind-hearted humans.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I learned many lessons through more time for reading, listening to podcasts, writing and reflecting. A big lesson I am trying to internalize fully: stop having what I want. Start wanting what I have.
Image Credits
Lila Ramsay
