Board of Education Appoints New Member

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

September 22, 2023

For more information contact:

Robert Kolt (517) 881-4446

Lansing School District Board of Education welcomes new member Deyanira Nevárez Martínez Ph.D.

(Lansing, MI) – The Lansing School District Board of Education has voted to select Dr. Deyanira Nevárez Martínez to fill an open board seat. Professor Nevárez Martínez was one of 12 people who applied for the seat vacated by Kurt Richardson, who left the board for employment reasons.

“The Lansing School District welcomes Professor Nevárez Martínez to the Board of Education,” said Board of Education President Rachel Willis. “Her unique knowledge and background will be a great asset to the board and our school district in the future.”

In her letter of application to the Board of Education, Professor Nevárez Martínez wrote, “My experiences as a dedicated mother, educator, woman of color, and scholar with a Ph.D. in Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy along with my deep commitment to educational equity make me a highly qualified and passionate candidate for this vital role. I believe I bring a unique blend of personal and professional experiences that would be an asset to the board and the Lansing community.”

Deyanira Nevárez Martínez completed her Ph.D. in Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy at the University of California, Irvine. She is currently a faculty member in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning in the School of Planning, Design and Construction and Core Faculty in the Chicano/Latino Studies Department at Michigan State University.

Before joining academia, Dr. Nevárez Martínez worked for U.S. Congressman Raul M. Grijalva before moving to spearhead an education campaign to fight Arizona’s ban on Mexican American Studies in the K-12 system. A mother of two boys ages 7 and 12, she has served as a State Coordinator for the Mi Familia Vota Education Fund. Dr. Nevárez Martínez decided to pursue a degree in planning because she is passionate about equity and social justice in public policy and sees planning as a way to effect change in local communities.

The Lansing School District is the largest public school district in the Mid-Michigan region and is dedicated to providing a high-quality education in a culturally safe and nurturing environment that supports all students to live purposeful and fulfilling lives. For more information about the school district, go online to www.Lansingschools.net