Our guest speaker for the evening – Iris Carias – Migrant Program Educator, Mount Vernon School District.
Iris immigrated to Mount Vernon from Honduras in 1994. She and her husband Alexis have lived here ever since, where they raised their daughter Alejandra who is currently pursuing a law degree.
Iris has always been involved in the community; first as a volunteer in the Police Department’s domestic violence unit, then with Sea Mar Community Health Centers, DSHS, Skagit Valley Hospital and the Friendship House.
Iris has a bachelor’s degree in Humanities and Education from the National Autonomous University of Honduras. She has also taken courses at Skagit Valley College.
She currently works for the Mount Vernon School District as the Migrant Program Educator and is also a member of the Washington State Migrant Education Advisory Committee (SAC). Iris also helps families as a liaison at Community Action of Skagit County and works as a nursing assistant with Sunrise Services. Iris currently serves as a board member of Skagit County Child and Family Consortium, and Skagit Immigrant Rights Council, she is also a member of Community Action’s Latino Advisory Committee. Mount Vernon is growing and changing and we need a city council that represents all of the residents. Iris believes in giving everyone a voice and helping them achieve their potential. As a social worker, paraprofessional educator and caregiver, she has worked steadily and passionately for the good of our city and its residents.
Iris wants to be an inspiration for the whole community, especially our youth, who will become our next leaders. Let’s work together to unite our community and help our city grow in a healthy and prosperous way!
Iris Carias has the most beautiful smile and accent. It was a little hard to pick up all of her message via ZOOM, but I hope that I captured her passion and desire to help all Migrant Families and this community. Her key messages:
Iris has always been involved in the community; first as a volunteer in the Police Department’s domestic violence unit, then with Sea Mar Community Health Centers, DSHS, Skagit Valley Hospital and the Friendship House.
Iris has a bachelor’s degree in Humanities and Education from the National Autonomous University of Honduras. She has also taken courses at Skagit Valley College.
She currently works for the Mount Vernon School District as the Migrant Program Educator and is also a member of the Washington State Migrant Education Advisory Committee (SAC). Iris also helps families as a liaison at Community Action of Skagit County and works as a nursing assistant with Sunrise Services. Iris currently serves as a board member of Skagit County Child and Family Consortium, and Skagit Immigrant Rights Council, she is also a member of Community Action’s Latino Advisory Committee. Mount Vernon is growing and changing and we need a city council that represents all of the residents. Iris believes in giving everyone a voice and helping them achieve their potential. As a social worker, paraprofessional educator and caregiver, she has worked steadily and passionately for the good of our city and its residents.
Iris wants to be an inspiration for the whole community, especially our youth, who will become our next leaders. Let’s work together to unite our community and help our city grow in a healthy and prosperous way!
Iris Carias has the most beautiful smile and accent. It was a little hard to pick up all of her message via ZOOM, but I hope that I captured her passion and desire to help all Migrant Families and this community. Her key messages:- Iris wants to be an inspiration in the community.
- Her message to the next generation is “Do Your Best – We cannot do everything but keep messaging yourself – I am going to do my best today”
- Don’t be negative , don’t complain, always do your best and help to find solutions to help yourself and help those around you who might be struggling
- The work she does at the School District is based in culture.It is in our nature to be human and thankful.
- Iris started in 2011 and is still surprised at how much the program has grown year by year
- They now have 300 graduates that have been assisted and guided to “do their best”
- 66% of the Latino and Hispanic community live in Washington State, with 36% in the Mt Vernon area – Washington is 2nd place only to California.
- These families bring so much to our community:Apples, Pears, Tulips, Peaches, Chicken Processing, Eggs and the best berries in the United States
- Many Hispanic families are undocumented but do not believe the lies being told that they are criminals – They are very honorable people working hard to have a better life for their families.
- They pay into Social Security, Pay Taxes, working hard to support their families.Yes they utilize the food stamp program for their children when they need to, like any family.
- All of us have immigrated to these United States from somewhere, back throughout our family history.
- Draper Valley Chicken processing, here in our area, is very hard work – cold challenging work.They work to keep good food on our tables and to take good care of their families.
- Iris works hard to open doors for Migrant Students allowing them to dream and find and support their passion.
- They all take good care of each other.Families help to care for the children taking turns to ensure they have food, a place to stay and never are on the street or sleeping in their vehicles.
- Migrant children can help in the fields only during summer when they are not attending school
Thank you Iris for what you do and for sharing the story of the Migrant Workers in our area!
Thanks to our other guest Dan Berard, Skagit Sunrise Rotarian and Executive Director of Categorical Programs at Mount Vernon Schools.
