Celebrating the Women of Rocketship California

Maricela Guerrero, Executive Director, Rocketship California

March is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate the strength, resilience, and leadership of women throughout history and within our own communities. Tomorrow, on International Women’s Day, we recognize this year’s global theme: “Accelerate Action”—a call to break down barriers, push for equity, and drive meaningful change with urgency and momentum.

At Rocketship, we see this every day in the incredible women who elevate our schools. Women who lead, teach, and support our Rocketeers with heart and purpose. Women who take bold steps to grow, learn, and mentor others. Today, I have the privilege of sharing the stories of three incredible women in our network, nominated by their colleagues to be honored within our community.

Lily Bastida, First Grade Humanities teacher at Rocketship Discovery Prep

After teaching in China, Lily came to teach at Rocketship because as a person of color, she wanted to ensure that students had an educator who reflected their backgrounds. “I didn’t have a teacher of color until I was in high school, and it was my Spanish teacher. It meant so much to have someone who understood my culture and could speak to my parents in their native language.” But what has made Lily stay at Rocketship is the coaching and development from the strong female leaders on her campus – Principal Doster and her coach, Ms. Accurso. “I feel the happiest here because I know I’m making real change with our kids. Every day I leave with my bucket full, knowing this work is worth doing.” She is especially grateful to be part of a school led by powerful women of color – leaders who not only understand the community they serve, but inspire those around them to lead with heart and purpose.

Yucari Fuentes Hernández, Operations Specialist at Rocketship Mateo Sheedy

When Yucari enrolled her oldest son, Victor, at Rocketship Mateo Sheedy in Kindergarten, she was searching for a school that would support his unique learning needs. Not only did she find that at Rocketship, but she also discovered a community that inspired her own growth. “Seeing the way Rocketship supported my son, I knew I wanted to be part of this community in a bigger way.” She decided to join Rocketship as an Operations Specialist, working alongside the same educators who supported her son. But what she didn’t expect was how much working at Rocketship would inspire her to pursue her own dreams. “I always wanted to go back to school and get my degree, but working with our Rocketeers showed me that I can do this.” Now, she is pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Development while participating in our Operations Rising Leader program, with a goal of becoming a teacher one day. She is grateful to be part of a community that not only invests in its students, but creates opportunities for parents to grow and thrive.

Nia Belvin, Principal of Rocketship Delta Prep

Talent development is a core pillar at Rocketship, and Nia’s journey is proof of its impact. She started as an Enrichment Center Coordinator at Rocketship Futuro Academy, where she fell in love with Kindergarten. Determined to make a greater impact, she transitioned into a Kinder STEM teacher and embraced every coaching and leadership opportunity that came her way. Through coaching and the Rising Leaders program, Nia developed into an Assistant Principal at Rocketship Sí Se Puede and eventually, Principal at Rocketship Delta Prep, returning to lead in a community close to where she grew up. Looking back, Nia is proud – not just to be a school leader, but to be a woman of color who seized every development opportunity and grew into the leader she is today. To other women across the region, she offers this encouragement: “As women, we already have everything we need – the grit and ganas, the courage, and the purpose to get it done. We just have to take every opportunity that comes our way and run with it.”

The stories of Lily, Yucari, and Nia are just a glimpse of the strength, resilience, and impact of the women in our schools. Every day, women across our network are leading with purpose, breaking barriers, and creating lasting change—for their students, their colleagues, and their own futures.

This Women’s History Month, let’s celebrate the coaches who guide us, the colleagues who push us to grow and the next generation of young women who will carry this work forward.

To every woman in our schools—thank you for your leadership, your dedication, and the difference you make every day.

Published on March 7, 2025