Esmeralda Cartagena is a dedicated educator who advocates for language preservation. She embarked on my academic journey at the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education with a specialization in English as a Second Language (ESL). Her passion for teaching and language development led her to pursue further studies, culminating in a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on ESL. 

Her educational career spans an impressive 16 years, during which she has significantly impacted the lives of students in various settings. She has worked tirelessly to improve the educational experiences of diverse student populations. Her teaching experience includes K-9 ESL and bilingual education in the Department of Education in Puerto Rico,  Chicago Public Schools, and Irving Independent School District in Texas. She currently serves as an Content Based Language Instruction Specialist in the Department of World Languages in Arlington Independent School District. She is furthering her academic pursuits by pursuing a Ph.D. in Literacy, Language, and Culture from Texas Woman's University.  Her research interests are the cultures, languages and literacies of culturally and linguistically diverse students and the preservation of Indigenous languages of students from Latin America.