Alyssa Silva-Rafi is an educator within the Chicago Public Schools system, dedicating her career to enriching students’ lives in a diverse pre-K through 8th-grade setting in Chicago, Illinois.
She is currently the Vice President and Convention Chair for Illinois Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages—Bilingual Education (ITBE). Her impact extends beyond the classroom. Through her involvement with ITBE, she has represented Illinois at the TESOL International Policy Summit on Capitol Hill, advocating for equitable education for multilingual learners and educators.
Alyssa is a dedicated Virtual Instructional Coach and Building Mentor for the We Care Mentoring Program, Chicago Teachers Union. She focuses on supporting first- and second-year teachers of color, and she is passionate about empowering the next generation of change agents to advocate for equitable education. She emphasizes ensuring that her mentees feel fully supported throughout their teaching journey.
She is an accomplished educator, recognized with a Special Recognition Award in the Teacher Category awarded by the Illinois State Board of Education Teacher of the Year and Those Who Excel Awards. Her advocacy efforts were featured in Hispanic Stars Rising: Volume IV book and she received a Hispanic Star Award: Changemakers Shaping America. The award was presented at the United Nations’ Hispanic Leadership Summit, and it was awarded by the We Are All Human Organization and Ashoka Global.
She is an exemplary educator, inspiring others with her dedication to excellence, advocacy for multilingual learners, and commitment to inclusive learning environments.
Word of Wisdom: “No matter what field you are in, continue to advocate for equitable education because it is connected with every aspect of our communities.” – Alyssa Silva-Rafi.
