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11.01.2024

Parent Spotlight: Ana Elizabeth Saucedo Gutierrez

Ana Elizabeth, thank you for participating today. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.

I am 36-years old, and a single mother preparing to go through a divorce. I have a 30-month-old baby with special needs, and without any family support in this country, it has been challenging. Being part of the First 5 focus group has been incredibly helpful, as it allows me to connect with other mothers who are navigating similar situations. 

Can you tell us a little about your journey into parent leadership and advocacy?

It all started when I felt the responsibility to educate myself to better support my son, who has Down Syndrome. While taking some parenting classes, I was invited to join the Children's Cabinet. That was three years ago, and today I am a leader mom in First 5, alongside eight other moms. Together, we have shared topics and experiences that have helped us all learn how to better support our children.

What led you to join the Nevada Early Childhood Family Leadership Council? 

Being a single mom and having no family or friends in this country to support you further complicates the situation. In search of helping my son to get ahead with his special needs, I was encouraged to join the family leadership council.

What are the benefits of joining a parent group? 

Almost all of us in the leadership council have children with special needs, and we've all discussed the challenges of finding specialists who accept our type of medical insurance. Through this support group, we've been able to help each other find the right resources and assistance.

Gaining more knowledge about available support and benefits has been a huge advantage. It has been very useful for me because I've learned about organizations that I didn’t even know existed. Often, you don't get the information you need, no matter how many times you ask. You're sent from one place to another, and it can be frustrating. But now that we're in this group, we've discovered many resources and services that we didn’t know were available to us.

What advice would you give to other parents or family members that are interested in getting involved in leadership or decision-making roles to support early childhood programs and services?

It is very important that we, as parents, unite and speak up for our children. No one knows more about our children and their needs than those of us who live with them every day. If you don't reach out or speak up, you may never get the support you need. It can be stressful and difficult to navigate things on your own, but there are people here who can help you find the assistance and support your children need

Have you experienced any barriers to accessing programs or services for your children?

A lot of the time, even when you ask for information, if a program is no longer available, they don’t offer any alternatives or just say, 'You can look it up online.' But as Latinos, many of us may not have a high level of education or access to a computer, so it can be very difficult. On top of that, much of the information is in English, and many of us don’t speak or read English, which makes it even harder. However, thanks to the groups I’ve attended, we’ve found the support we need, and it has helped us a lot.

What changes do you think need to be made to improve Nevada’s early childhood system? 

There are many things that could be improved in the early childhood education system. First and foremost, we need teachers who truly have the vocation and patience to educate young children. Additionally, there should be a more robust educational system for children with special needs, especially as we see more children with special needs at all levels today.

Have you ever been involved in any advocacy related to children’s issues (working to improve laws or policies)?

I currently only participate in the Primeros5 group, but if I ever have the opportunity to support advocacy efforts to improve laws for children, I will be there.

What additional resources or supports do you think are needed to help families get involved in leadership and decision-making in Nevada?

Information and services for Latino communities are crucial, especially since we are now a significant portion of the population, possibly even the majority in some areas. It’s important that we receive adequate support to understand and access these programs effectively.

Is there anything else that you would like to share?  

The truth is, we are here to make our voices heard, and we hope that we are not just a group of eight moms. I’m not sure if there are other groups like First 5, but we want the community to be aware of these programs because many people don’t know they exist.