Julia Hurtado

Cobb Board of Education, Post 5

ABOUT JULIA HURTADO:

Julia Hurtado has made serving the students of Cobb County her mission. She recognizes that schools should work to address the unique learning needs of each student and create learning environments where every student feels safe, empowered, and valued. We are proud to endorse Julia because she has made safety, equity, and community support central facets of her platform.

WHY WE’RE ENDORSING JULIA:

Julia is a mom, wife, activist, and physical therapist who treats adolescent student athletes with concussions. Her platform is centered on safety, equity and community. She is running for Cobb School Board to ensure that every student has access to a quality education regardless of sociocultural barriers or learning abilities. She will fight for teachers and ensure they have the resources they need to lead students to success. A major part of her platform is transparency. She will fight against the status quo of secrecy and will participate in tough conversations which initiate change. Julia is unafraid to speak out against words and actions that seek to single out communities of color, and has used her platform to denounce anti-Asian racism from the incumbent in this office.

Julia is well aware that public schools must meet the needs of all students to help them become successful adults. She will make sure that Cobb County schools meet the individual needs of students so all of them have an equal opportunity for success. Similarly, she knows we have to meet teachers’ needs so they can provide for their students. She plans to provide teachers with tangible resources and career growth opportunities. She wants teachers to be able to communicate their needs without fear of retaliation from administration and parents; Hurtado has suggested an anonymous virtual suggestion box as a solution for this.

The COVID-19 pandemic has proved especially challenging for teachers, students, and their families as school leaders juggle planning for safer in-person learning or effective virtual learning strategies. Julia is the public health advocate, parent, and leader that Cobb county residents need to move us forward during this challenging time. Julia is prepared to lead while centering her platform tenets of equity, safety, and community, and the Asian American Advocacy Fund is proud to endorse her!