In this episode of the ASSETS Podcast, Dr. Jobi Lawrence sits down with Lara Evangelista, Executive Director at Internationals Network for Public Schools. Lara is a passionate advocate for multilingual learners and newcomer education, with years of experience as a principal and district leader in New York City. They discuss what it takes to create welcoming, culturally responsive school environments that help newcomer students thrive academically and socially. Lara also shares practical strategies for engaging families, lessons learned from implementing newcomer programs, and her personal journey as an educator dedicated to equity and inclusion.

In this episode of The ASSETS Podcast, Dr. Jobi Lawrence welcomes back Montserrat Garibay, former Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director of the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) under the Biden-Harris administration.

Together, they explore the State Seal of Biliteracy and its impact in recognizing multilingual proficiency, as well as the role of programs like BESO in supporting and uplifting multilingual learners. From her beginnings as an undocumented immigrant to her leadership in education and labor, Montserrat’s story is one of resilience, advocacy, and transformation.

This conversation highlights the importance of linguistic equity, educational policy, and celebrating diverse voices in our schools.

In this episode of the ASSETS Podcast, Dr. Jobi Lawrence welcomes Arthur Chou, social entrepreneur, passionate advocate, and widely regarded as the “father” of the State Seal of Biliteracy. Arthur shares his journey, from launching national multilingual advocacy efforts to helping over 40 states establish their own seals. Learn how his work with Academic Learning Company, DualLanguageSchools.org, and Velázquez Press has shaped educational equity and empowered multilingual students and communities across the U.S.