Erika D. Garcia

Erika D. Garcia is an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Biliteracy Education at the University of San Diego's School of Education. A former bilingual education teacher and instructional leader with a decade of experience, she advocates for sustaining the language, culture, histories, and identities of bilingual/multilingual learners through inclusive pedagogical practices.

• EdD in Education from USC Rossier School of Education
• MA/BCLAD in Education-Dual Language Development from California State University, Long Beach
• BA in Social Welfare from University of California, Berkeley

Her research focuses on integrating cultural and linguistic funds of knowledge into classroom curricula, prioritizing the empowerment of emergent bilingual learners. Dr. Garcia emphasizes teacher agency in fostering student self-actualization, drawing on Paulo Freire's educational philosophy.