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About the author
Dr. Iliana Alanís, a native of South Texas, is a Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education in the Department of Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching at the University of Texas at San Antonio. As a university faculty member, her primary focus is on engaging teacher candidates and practicing teachers in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms, emphasizing the rights of young children to develop their native language and cultural identity. Before entering academia, Dr. Alanís was a bilingual teacher for second-grade students in the Texas Rio Grande Valley. She has facilitated professional development for early childhood educators in dual language settings for over two decades as a Dual Language Training Institute member and a founding Vales Por Dos Consulting Group member. Dr. Alanís is married to Bradley York. They reside in San Antonio, Texas, with their son, Diego, and their three dogs, Roxy, Lucy, and Lali.
Dr. Irasema Salinas-González is an Associate Professor of Early Care/ Early Childhood Studies at The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). As a teacher of young children in preschool and kindergarten, a teacher of college students, and a teacher of in-service teachers, she has served in various capacities as a bilingual early childhood education professional for over 30 years. Her work on developmentally and culturally appropriate practices for emergent bilingual learners focuses on play-based learning within authentic spaces. She serves as Chair of the Early Head Start CCP Board/Advisory Council and is a former Advisory Board Member for Hidalgo County Head Start. She also coordinates the Early Care and Early Childhood Studies program at UTRGV. Dr. Salinas-González is married to Gilberto González. They reside in Mission, Texas, but travel often to visit their two adult children, Brianna and Gil.
