LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Martha Cabrera was nominated by her colleague, Valarie Ikemoto.

Ms. Cabrera is an outstanding advocate for youth and their families at Oak Grove High School. She is involved in a multitude of systems within the school to help students succeed. She works with families, many who are first generation immigrants, and monolingual Spanish speakers who have needs beyond their child's academics. Ms. Cabrera uses her school as a hub to access families and create opportunities for students in multiple areas.

"As the school social worker, I have an opportunity to work closely with Ms. Cabrera," Ikemoto said. "We collaborate frequently. When I first started, I liked her immediately because she is approachable and kind. She arrives at school early and leaves late. Parents and students feel safe with her and are open to her positive engagement with others."

Ms. Cabrera is a hard worker, and her job centers around supporting families so students can be successful. She and Ikemoto work closely with one another when a student is in need of specific services. She is always there to support staff members who are dealing with difficult situations involving students and their families. Parents and students have even brought their mail to Ms. Cabrera to help them understand what is important and what is junk mail. She also helps families understand forms they need to fill out that are non-school related.

This year, her school was selected to partner with the food bank and run a food pantry.

"I knew I couldn't do it by myself, so I immediately asked Martha if she would be willing to provide support," Ikemoto said. "She said yes without hesitation because she knew it was the best thing for the students and their families. Weekly, we give out thousands of pounds of food to families. We serve close to 1,000 people per month at our school. She helps unload the pallets of food and stock the pantry shelves in-between family meetings and IEP translation. She is a gem."

Ms. Cabrera is always professional and maintains ethical standards. She knows that when she works to support a family, everything needs to remain confidential. She is respectful to everyone and makes sure that everyone is comfortable.

"This year, we supported some students who identified as LGBTQ," Ikemoto said. "Families requested that we collaborate on a series that educates families in Spanish around sexual orientation/gender identity. Again, Ms. Cabrera did not hesitate, and agreed to help. She used her relationships with parents and was able to support a dialogue so that parents could ask important questions in a safe place. She supported positive change for these families, increasing the safety, health and happiness of these students. Ms. Cabrera always approaches her work and our students from a place of strength and love. We are better because we know her."