ANNETTE GONZALES JONES
“What do we value as a society, as a community in Silicon Valley? We value Google, we value these companies, but not, maybe, education… in that same way. “
BIO
With twenty years in the K-12 system as a high school English teacher, pedagogical practices rooted in supporting communities of color, and her lived experience as a person of color in Silicon Valley, Annette Gonzales Jones is passionate about serving the Chicana/o community she is a part of. Annette grew up in the East Side of San Jose and was a student in the East Side Union High School District. As a first-generation student, she attended community college and then transferred to San José State University (SJSU), where she earned her B.A. in English with a Minor in Mexican American Studies. She returned to SJSU nineteen years later to pursue a Master’s degree in Chicana Chicano Studies and will graduate in Spring 2024. Being an educator within the Puente Program is one way she strives to connect culturally relevant pedagogy, community cultural wealth, civic engagement, and writing to build community in the classroom, engage students, and serve the local community.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Annette discusses her familial roots right here in the San Jose/Eastside area, having to navigate the different school systems according to need and resources, and her work with the Eastside School District for the last 20 years as a public-school educator. Annette speaks to the unique class and race dynamics within the local public-school system, and local community, in regard to its geographical location. Lastly, Annette shares several of her ideas and visions for Emancipatory Education within the classroom, district, and larger public-school system.