May 20th, 2012

Maria Solano Rodriguez 's Story

Birth Year: 1962




Table of Contents





    Hola todos!


     


    Capitulo 1


     


     


    My Daughter Raquel and I [Pic] moved to Boulder, Colorado from Costa Rica, almost 11 years ago. We arrived in Denver at the airport April 27th, 1997 after a long 2 year frustrating effort to immigrate legally  getting us both out of my country. I am not blaming immigration. It was much more complicated than that with my divorce and x husband.


     


    I am a Community Liaison and Translator for the Boulder Valley School District. I am also a member of the Leadership Team of the Parent Engagement Network (PEN), an organization intended to build open communication and understanding between parents and children through workshops, lectures and we provide parenting tools and strategies to parents of students of all ages.


     


    I believe in the power of self-advocacy, the educational rights and the potential of all children. I have experienced many years of work in the "Patronato Nacional De Ciegos" in Costa Rica, a government agency for the blind and worked with students with special needs and the University of Cost Rica.


     


    Being a Community Liaison has given me the opportunity to witness the many struggles of local families in our community, many of them, immigrant families with children of special needs who often don't speak English. I currently am a board member of Nuevo Horizonte, a group of 47 Spanish speaking families with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) located in Denver. I am currently working on a project with the purpose to get information and resources for parents in any language. I am passionate about helping and empowering parents of children with ASD and encourage them to take a look into the "other side of the spectrum."


     


    I am a single mother again and now with three children, [Pic] Raquel who is 19, Brittany (8) and Benjamin (5) who was formally diagnosed with ASD by the Children's Hospital in Denver, Colorado, when he was 2 1/2 years old. I enjoy spending time with my children and my hobbies include sewing, jewelry making and crafts in general.