(pronouns: she/her/hers)

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Ruby is the founder of  Estrellas de Esperanza, a 40+ member dance group for students ages 5 to 18. Since 2006,  Estrellas has been committed to projecting a positive image of Mexican culture and ensuring that local students learn about their heritage. She began dancing Mexican baile folklorico at the age of six, making her more aware of her cultural heritage and helped Ruby develop a strong sense of pride and self-confidence. After earning a BA in American Studies with an emphasis on Chicano Studies and a bilingual teaching credential from UC Santa Cruz, Ruby began working for Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD) in 1987. She eventually earned a master’s in educational leadership at Mills College in Oakland. Ruby also serves as assistant director for Esperanza del Valle, a local adult Mexican folk-dance group, which she has been a member of since 1987. Ruby is the daughter of loving parents who worked the fields, safeguarded traditions, served others, and emphasized the importance of education and familia. These values have shaped who she is and how she serves her community. 

As a parent education trainer for PVUSD, Ruby works with colleagues to engage parents in their children’s schooling. In 2020, she helped form the Watsonville Campesino Appreciation Caravan, which distributed personal protective equipment and household supplies to Spanish and Mixteco-speaking farmworkers. This work and everything she does is offered with much respect to our local community.