Blanca Cruz

Ms. Cruz was born and raised in Los Angeles to immigrant parents. She became a teen mother at the age of 15 and worked diligently to put herself through school. She graduated from UCLA with a degree in Sociology and Spanish and earned her Master's degree at CSUN in School Administration. She is currently serving as Principal of Edward R. Roybal Learning Center in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She has been an educator for over 20 years. During her tenure at Roybal, she has worked with her school team to transform the educational experiences of the students she serves, making the school the top school of choice in the area. Prior to serving as school Principal, she served as Assistant Principal, Dean, and Spanish teacher. Her passion is working with youth and creating opportunities that will help them succeed as students and members of their community. As a teen mom, she vowed to give back through service in the educational field in the same way her teachers and counselors did for her. In addition to being an educator, she is a community organizer advocating for issues like immigrant rights, education, etc, and loves to spend time with her daughter (special education teacher), her husband and their 3 dogs.