Cynthia Silva
M.A
Cynthia Silva
Cynthia Silva (she/her), M.A., is a Resource Specialist teacher at Lynwood High School and a dedicated advocate for inclusive education, student wellness, and equitable access to support.
Cynthia began her educational journey as an after-school tutor with the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District. She also worked with a migrant education program, helping newcomer students adjust to the school curriculum. Her later experience as an instructional assistant inspired her to become a special education teacher.
Cynthia earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from California State University, Los Angeles. While completing an internship at the university’s Student Health Center, she served on the Student Health Advisory Committee, where she helped educate students about health and wellness, advocated for campus health initiatives, and encouraged students to become leaders of positive change. Her contributions earned her recognition as “Rockstar of the Month.”
Cynthia later applied her public health experience as a drug prevention specialist with Pacific Clinics’ Asian Pacific Family Center. In this role, she delivered prevention presentations at high schools throughout the San Gabriel Valley, participated in monthly Los Angeles County Substance Abuse Prevention and Control meetings, and helped lead countywide events such as the SGV Got Skills Talent Show. She was also an active member of Rethinking Access to Marijuana, collaborating with organizations such as Day One to advance culturally responsive prevention, education, outreach, and youth-development efforts.
Motivated by her commitment to supporting students with diverse learning needs, Cynthia earned her Master of Arts in Special Education from Alder Graduate School of Education. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in Education and Leadership, with a concentration in K–12 Leadership, at Rockhurst University.
Cynthia’s teaching philosophy is grounded in relationship-building, student advocacy, and the belief that every student deserves an inclusive learning environment in which they feel valued, supported, and empowered to succeed.
SESSION OVERVIEW
Centering Undocu Joy: Supporting Undocumented Students with Dignity and Resilience
Undocumented and mixed-status students navigate educational spaces while carrying unique strengths, responsibilities, and challenges that often remain invisible in schools. Too often, conversations about undocumented communities focus solely on fear, trauma, or crisis. This interactive workshop shifts the narrative by centering Undocu Joy, an asset-based framework that recognizes the resilience, leadership, cultural wealth, and humanity of undocumented students while equipping educators with practical strategies to create affirming school environments.
Participants will deepen their understanding of the legal protections afforded to undocumented students, examine how immigration-related stress can affect student well-being and learning, and explore how schools can become spaces of safety, belonging, and trust. Through personal reflection, discussion, and collaborative activities, participants will examine their own identities and assumptions, learn trauma-informed and culturally sustaining approaches to supporting undocumented students, and explore family preparedness resources that schools can use responsibly and ethically.
Grounded in lived experience and classroom practice, this session moves beyond awareness to action by providing educators with concrete tools they can immediately implement to foster dignity, resilience, and educational equity for undocumented students and their families.