Maria Heysha Carrillo Carrasquillo

Affiliation

North Carolina State University

Biography

María Heysha Carrillo Carrasquillo is a boricua scholar and a PhD candidate at North Carolina State University. Her research interests include critical and decolonial pedagogies in community spaces, multilingual education, and teacher preparation. María Heysha's journey as an educator began in her homeland, where she prepared to teach English to Spanish speakers, specializing in elementary school, at the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras. She moved to North Carolina and initially worked as a kindergarten bilingual teacher in a rural dual-language program. She later transitioned to a suburban dual language program, where she taught 2nd grade and Pre-K. Her diverse teaching experiences also include roles in urban independent schools, where she served as a Spanish teacher and Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Beyond her dedication to classroom teaching, Heysha has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to advocacy and community engagement. She has always sought opportunities to work with families and children through extracurricular community-building activities and programs, recognizing the importance of fostering strong relationships and support systems beyond the classroom.