This Harvard grad says education freed him. Can it do the same for his students? | Immigration

He was at Georgetown during that internship, thanks to a Gates Millennium scholarship that also covered his Harvard tuition for his master’s degree. He graduated from Adamson High School, where he was senior class president. He was also president of Dallas ISD’s teen board in 2011.

Years ago, he said he wanted to be the mayor of Dallas someday. More recently, he boldly asserted that he’d like to one day become the superintendent of Dallas ISD.

By Day 5 of what he calls his “empowerment” tour, he’d distributed more than 1,200 backpacks. That’s more than double the size of Bowie’s student body. Some anonymous donors stepped in to help, but Gonzalez says he could use more help. He wants to buy new uniforms for all of Bowie students.

In addition to teaching the third grade, Gonzalez is the elementary school’s director of family engagement. He wants to build up a PTA-like parent club.

Back on the school grounds, Rivera, the mother of the teen who wants to study at Harvard, said she will volunteer. She didn’t need to be asked. But immigration issues concern her.

“I know what country I’m in,” she said.

Gonzalez, who was born in the U.S., scowled at the subject of the immigration crackdown. “When you grow up in the barrio, you know what it is to be second class,” he said. In what’s a mantra, he punctuates it with “but education freed me.”

As he continued his golf cart journey, he explained his drive. “I want the community, the 'hood, to be able to believe in themselves, que si se puede,” he said.

Within the hour, a woman tapped her truck horn. She stuck her head out the window, yelling, “Si se puede.”

Gonzalez flashed a toothy grin.