The Anabelia Story | Dr. Sarah Mott Gonzales and Anabelia Luna | Shattering Inequities | EP 104

Two women whose stories sit on opposite sides of the K–12 system—a former administrator and a first-generation college graduate—reveal the quiet forces that shape who gets access to a “premium education,” and who gets overlooked.

Sarita, a veteran educator who transformed struggling schools, shares the moment she discovered how a broken system can derail a student’s entire future—and what it took to rebuild that system so more kids could thrive.

Then Anabelia, a high-performing Latina student, recounts how a single conversation with her counselor almost convinced her she “wasn’t college material.” Her story highlights the assumptions, blind spots, and cultural misunderstandings that deter countless capable students from the opportunities they deserve.

Together, their experiences unpack a bigger truth: inequity isn’t just about resources. It’s about expectations, information, and systems designed without real guardrails. And those things can be changed.

Key Discussion Points

00:00 – Opening: Why inequities persist even when adults mean well

02:11 – Meet Sarita: From Title I teacher to turnaround leader

05:02 – The student is scheduled for Algebra I three times

08:48 – Meet Velia: First-gen student labeled “not ready” for college

12:20 – How assumptions shape course placement and opportunity

15:54 – What really happens to students who choose community college

19:30 – The “default to university-eligible” mindset

22:07 – The power of affiliation and why involvement predicts graduation

26:45 – What a real data-driven K–12 system looks like

32:18 – How counseling caseloads influence student futures

36:12 – The GPS model: real-time support, not early warning

41:50 – What parents can do — even if they don’t know the system

45:03 – Wisdom for educators: the tangible + the intangible

50:12 – Closing: The collective responsibility to shatter inequities

If you’re a school or district leader, counselor, teacher, parent, or anyone who believes kids’ futures shouldn’t depend on luck—this conversation will stay with you.

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