Ludin DeAza is one of those people that everybody recognizes, whether at the supermarket, church, school, or even a basketball game in Gainesville.
Her smiling face does not go unnoticed, nor does her name: it is not very common, at least not in Spanish.
Beyond that, though, are DeAza’s actions, which for more than a decade have been changing the lives of students and their families in not only Gainesville but Hall County in general. DeAza, herself a native of the Dominican Republic, began her journey when she became the first bilingual parent liaison of the Hall County School District. DeAza moved to the area in August of 2002, leaving behind what she described as the “increase in crime that Rhode Island experienced after the attacks of Sept. 11.” She already had a relative in the area, her brother, Wilson Medina, who lived in Gainesville.
On the surface, DeAza’s job may appear to be primarily about providing translation services. In a county such as Hall, where minorities face other obstacles and challenges, the role of communication liaison between Hispanic parents and the school system has proved to serve a far greater purpose.
“A lot of times, as bilingual parent liaisons we are the only role model for children and young students, and even sometimes for their families,” said DeAza.
DeAza recalls a case five years ago, when an 11-yearold girl was raped and inpregnated by her stepfather, “a man who had been in a relationship with this girl’s mother since when she was still in her mother’s womb.”
“Despite the misery and the shame this girl could have felt, she was able to keep going and today, along with her five-year-old child, she is about to finish school,” said DeAza.
DeAza has also had to deal with children and adolescents who have attempted suicide, as well as students who choose to drop out of school, a phenomenon that – in her opinion – tends to affects Latinos more than other populations.
“Since a lot of families are undocumented, they move or don’t stay in one place, whether it be for work reasons or because of fear. That leaves the children, who are often [American] citizens, in charge of their families, and that’s why they lose interest in school,” she explained.
For DeAza, 13 years of selfless dedication to the Latino community have not been in vain.
On Oct.r 17 the Newtown Florist Club, an organization that for more than 60 years has worked to promote the development of youth and social justice for minorities in Gainesville, honored DeAza with one of its ‘Most Amazing Women’ awards.
Andrea Waters-King, wife of Martin Luther King, III, served as keynote speaker at the event.
“We are proud of the work she does with the school system working with Latino children and helping them transition and their families into the school system. We know much about her work at Restoration Community Church and she also plays a great role in working with the church and families there in the community as well,” said Waters-King. “Overall, she has been very helpful in being of service to the community in ways wherever she is needed.”
DeAza’s dedication and commitment to the Hispanic community do not end with her involvement in the school system, however. She is currently lending a hand with the Faye Center for Learning, a project of Restoration Community Church that will focus on after-school programs to children who have fallen behind in the learning process.
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