Nice to Meet You!
Did you know that the In and Out-of-School Time field has some of the greatest working professionals that ‘Inspire Youth, Inspire Learning, and Inspire Change’ year-round? TEAMBOOST proudly features BOOST Partners, Ambassadors, and Leadership Team members in the GTKY (Getting to Know You) collaborative blog series! Let’s start this week and Get To Know BOOST Ambassador, Susie Estrada (she/her/hers).
Thank you, Susie, for your meaningful contributions to the BOOST community! We appreciate you!
Get to Know BOOST Ambassador Susie Estrada (she/her/hers)
Susie is the Family and Community Engagement Specialist for the Utah State Board of Education in Salt Lake City, UT.
What is one thing that motivates you? Share your inspiration.
I love this question, especially as I am entering an era of a newfound love and appreciation for my work. The one thing that motivates me is home. By home I mean, North Hollywood, CA, and everyone that I have ever loved. They are my inspiration and my why. The work that I do is healing work in so many ways. Honoring my inner child, my inner teen, and those back home who continue to mean so much to me, those who are no longer physically with us, and especially those who fall outside of the threshold of respectability are my inspiration. I am motivated to humanize those who get pushed to the outskirts as the community hurts when this happens. We lose strengths and treasures when we remain collectively incomplete.
Do you have any pets? If so, tell us about them! 
I know you are not asking me about my animals! There will not be enough room in the blog. In chronological order we have three dogs, Itzy (10), Ludo (9), and Bear (8); two cats, Rhiannon (5) and Junior (1); one yellow-eared slider turtle, Yurtle (15); and two cannibal goldfish that eat turtle food aka other fish (less than one year old). Itzy is my diva old lady who used to be a solid black shepherd/lab mix but has had a gray bikini kick in; Ludo is my peace-loving pitbull whose favorite activity is to nap; Bear is my baby who wants lots of cuddles and food- so much food- especially since he has had to have a large amount of intestines removed, thus impacting his ability to gain and keep on weight. Rhiannon is a sassy Black cat who is needy- but don’t be too thrilled because too much attention will earn a hiss. Junior is our orange cat who is a very local baby. Yurtle is the turtle that I got my senior year of high school and will be my inheritance to my niece. The two goldfish were supposed to be Yurtle’s special Thanksgiving dinner but she spared them (ate the other eight).
What go-to song would you sing at Karaoke night?
CURRENTLY: Grupo Frontera- Pienso En Ella is on repeat.
Share any unique hobbies or talents.
Rumor is, I am very funny. I call that a talent. I am currently into podcasts especially those that tie history to paranormal and folklore.
Favorite animal noise?
Pigeon coos. Or whatever it is called. I am not a zoologist. (I just googled, it is in fact a coo).
What is your most treasured book to read? What are you currently reading?
Jane Eyre- talk about a cautionary tale. I am currently reading Ratchetdemic: Reimagining Academic Success by Christopher Emdin.
Share an inspirational quote that resonates with you.
“No weapon that is formed against me shall prosper” is a verse from the Bible, Isaiah 54:17
If you could be any person for a day, who would you be and why?
I think if I could be a thrill-seeker for a day or someone who is athletic, that would be super cool. If flying out of a plane or speeding down a mountain sounded exciting for a day, that’d be great, just so I could experience it.
What advice would you give your teenage self?
Girl, do what you want and do it every single time. Nothing is really that serious and also, you are fire. You are everything. I love you. You are strong and beautiful. Realize it now. You are magic.
If you really knew me you would know that… 
I sing. Very loud. Very proud. Maybe not well. But I sing and often I sing patriotic or church songs as self-soothing mechanisms. But I guess if you really, really, really knew me you would know that it has taken so much work to learn and see that I am a good person which is why I find myself so deeply rooted in dignity work as dignity is core to what we need for a stronger, united community.
Today for breakfast I had…
Apple Crisp non-dairy cream chai and tomato mozzarella panini.
From all of us here at TEAMBOOST, thank you, Susie, for sharing your leadership with us. You are a wonderful partner and a shining light for youth!