When Karina Lora received the invitation to join PIQE’s Parent Ambassador program, she thought it was simply an opportunity to share her experience. What she didn’t realize was that this step would lead her to represent something much bigger: the voice of many parents who don’t always have the opportunity to be heard. 

PIQE’s Parent Ambassadors are parents and caregivers who have completed a PIQE workshop and want to make a bigger impact.  

“Parent Ambassadors strengthen communities by drawing on their lived experiences to advocate, share their stories, and influence policies that affect families. By elevating their voices in decision-making spaces, they help ensure that community needs guide meaningful and lasting policy change,” explained Adolfo Lopez, Community Engagement Manager at PIQE, who oversees the Parent Ambassador Program. 

Lora was born in Yucatán, Mexico, and arrived in the United States in 2002. She was 26 years old and knew exactly what she wanted for her children: a good education and the opportunities that come with it.  

For years, she focused on supporting her children’s education and creating an environment where learning mattered. Her 19-year-old daughter, Andrea, is currently in her first year of college. Her 23-year-old son, Diego, graduated from high school but decided not to pursue college. 

But Lora also believes strongly in leading by example. In 2024, she earned several certifications while continuing to explore new interests, including interior design, a field she hopes to pursue as a career. “If my son doesn’t understand through words, then I have to show him through my example,” she says. 

Even though her children are now older, Lora sees becoming a Parent Ambassador as an opportunity to give back to her community.  

“I have an opportunity that not everyone gets, and I’m going to take it,” she says.  

Lora knows that many immigrant parents face challenges similar to the ones she experienced when she first arrived in the United States. Many want to support their children but don’t always have access to the information and resources needed to navigate the education system. 

That’s why sharing what she has learned has become part of her purpose. 

“I’ve kind of taken on the role of an aunt,” she says with a smile. “I want to share this information with anyone who needs it.” 

Miguel Angel Segura, PIQE’s Director of External Relations, is not surprised by this statement. Segura was the one who first connected with Karina and had a few conversations to see if she might be interested in joining the Parent Ambassadors. “Karina demonstrated a genuine passion to support families. In our conversations, I saw her commitment to the community and her eagerness to learn, speak up, and engage.” 

Through her involvement with PIQE, Karina began participating in spaces where important conversations about schools and communities take place. She is now also part of other groups, such as the California Community Foundation (CCF), where she recently participated in a panel focused on how to better support teachers. 

It was in those spaces that she noticed something important: very few parents were sharing their perspectives. Her presence helped fill that gap. 

For Lora, the voice of parents is essential because schools and families are part of the same system.  

“How are they supposed to know what parents feel or what worries us if we don’t step forward and speak up?” 

“We’re like a family,” she explains. “If we’re a dysfunctional family and we don’t listen to each other, we’re not going to work well together.” 

Today, Lora understands that her voice carries more weight than she had ever imagined. For a long time, she thought she was simply sharing her opinion. Now, she knows that every time she speaks, she represents countless other families who may not have the opportunity to be in those spaces.  

Karina has grown into a strong leader and advocate. She has spoken up for families, advocated in Sacramento with PIQE, and now serves on a foundation committee working alongside important decision-makers, Segura said. 

“If I can be one more voice for immigrant parents and for our children’s education,” she says, “I want to be there.” 

Her commitment illustrates a larger truth: when parents find their voice, they don’t just change their own stories, they also help open the door for many other families.