Alejandra DelaCruz is always expanding her horizons
- Ellis
- Jul 22
- 3 min read
Alejandra DelaCruz has always focused on caring for children, but as her career evolved, Alejandra has widened her focus to increase her influence over the issues that she cares deeply about.
After receiving a degree in education in her native Peru, Alejandra taught elementary and high school students. In 2013, Alejandra came to the U.S. to live with a family in Cambridge, where she cared for their children and studied to improve her English. The family spoke French as well as English, and Alejandra loved being in a multilingual environment. That was part of her life in Peru, where Quechua was her first, Spanish her second, and English her third language.
Education is at the core of Alejandra’s values—both for the children she teaches and for herself. She started taking education courses at Bunker Hill Community College to become certified, but she was also looking to expand her horizons. “I like to study and learn more,” Alejandra says. “When I learn more, I know better how to help children.”
Bunker Hill led Alejandra to Ellis, telling her about an open position for which she could apply.
“Ellis is amazing,” Alejandra says. “I was scared when I first interviewed with Claire McNally, VP of Programs, but she gave me the opportunity then, and she has given me more opportunities since.”
Alejandra began at Ellis as an assistant toddler teacher. Five years later, she is now a lead teacher and aims to become a director and possibly a coach. For Alejandra, these are more than steps toward personal success; they are a way to support other teachers.
In her continued efforts to help others, Alejandra joined City Life/Vida Urbana, an East Boston organization committed to housing stability and rent control. There, she was introduced to Neighborhood Villages, an organization working to improve access to quality childcare. Neighborhood Villages first partnered with Ellis during the pandemic, providing essential support for teachers’ salaries and family support systems. They also offer professional development courses and help underwrite teacher salaries.
Neighborhood Villages sent Alejandra to Washington, D.C. in October 2023 for three days of training on family childcare. There she dug into the history and background of the issues facing this critical sector, where she has staked her career.
“I saw that you have more power to bring change if you become an advocate,” Alejandra says. “For that, you need to have both the passion and the information, and you need to be part of larger group.” Alejandra wanted to make herself part of that movement.
Alejandra’s role as an advocate came to the forefront in spring 2024, when a large group of supporters of the Common Start Coalition gathered outside the Massachusetts State House to lobby for childcare support. That day, Alejandra spoke to several people in the crowd, listening to their concerns to better understand real-world needs.
Alejandra was the final speaker at the gathering that day.
“As soon as I took the microphone, I lost my shyness,” she remembers. And her words drew an enthusiastic response. “We love our career, but it’s not enough,” she said to the crowd. “There are too many childcare teachers who can’t pay the rent. There are too many parents leaving the state because they can’t get vouchers. This is important work that needs government support!”
That same year, the Commonwealth passed historic legislation. It provided money to raise early childhood teacher salaries and expanded state subsidies to help families afford childcare. Alejandra appreciates the improvements, particularly the new opportunities for professional development. However, she knows there’s much more to be done to support the teachers and caregivers who provide critical education and opportunities for children in the earliest years of their lives--Alejandra has her work as an advocate cut out for her!
