Maria Acosta Cruz

Age: 68

Community: Northampton and Worcester

Her story: Since 1986, Maria Acosta Cruz has educated new generations of Spanish speakers from her Clark University classroom. But along the way, she and her students are also giving back to their wider Worcester community.

In one class, Acosta Cruz’s students help Worcester nonprofits and organizations translate their documents, forms and informational material from English to Spanish and Spanish to English, expanding its reach to wider swaths of the community. She was amazed that in a community as diverse as Worcester, where nearly one in five residents speak Spanish at home, many organizations did not already have.

“The volume of information that exists only in English is always kind of shocking to students and to me,” Acosta Cruz said.

Her students have assisted UMass Chan Medical School, local charities, the YMCA and other organizations. One group’s documents helped people access mental and emotional support services, but only had material in English, Acosta Cruz said.

Born and raised in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, Acosta Cruz has a keen interest in the Hispanic cultures of the Caribbean. She is working on a book project, Disaster Nation, exploring how five centuries of environmental disasters have been represented in the region’s literature and art. It will follow an earlier book, Dream Nation, about how ideas of independence were represented in Puerto Rico between the 19th and 21st centuries.

In her words: “It fills you with energy to work with people who are 18 to 22, but it’s also sometimes mystifying the things they’re interested in. That’s always a challenge, finding a connection with a population that always stays young ... I just love the language and I love seeing people who are interested in learning. I love helping people learn something I love so much.”

Shirley Arriaga

Age: 34

Community: Chicopee

Her story: A lifelong resident of Chicopee and U.S. Air Force veteran, Shirley Arriaga is the Democratic state Representative on Beacon Hill for the 8th Hampden District.

Advocating for the needs of Chicopee residents under the golden dome, Arriaga’s legislative priorities are empowering women and girls, assisting veterans and elders and championing education.

During her 10 years with the Air Force, Arriaga was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. She continued her education at Springfield Technical Community College, Elms College and Western New England University, obtaining several degrees.

Her military service eventually led her to civil service. She was elected to state office in November 2022, a role that had been held by an incumbent for more than three decades.

“From a very young age, I knew I wanted to help those who are the most vulnerable in our communities,” Arriaga said. “I had a plan to arm myself with education and knowledge so that one day I would be able to serve and advocate for the laws and to help those in our community.”

Jasarah Burgos

Age: 35

Community: Springfield

Her story: Jasarah Burgos is a leader in her community who dedicates her time and efforts to inspiring and empowering others to become strong leaders who can “expand the efforts we’re making today.”

Burgos works to engage Hampden County community members in decision-making processes that ensure Latinos living in diaspora have access to resources they need.

After arriving from Puerto Rico in 2017 with her then-2 year-old son following Hurricane Maria, Burgos was challenged with navigating a new environment and understanding the systems around her.

Every day, she sought ways to provide her son with a stable home, quality healthcare and education.

“This journey sparked a realization within me — I wanted to help others who were in similar situations,” she said. “This drive led me to enter the field of Human Services, where I have since dedicated myself to creating and supporting programs that provide opportunities for people who look and sound like me to thrive.”

Burgos is involved with several community-oriented groups including the Holyoke Community College Foundation, Latino Scholarship Fund of Western Massachusetts, Families First of Western Massachusetts, YMCA of Greater Springfield, Wayfinders and New North Citizen’s Council (NNCC).

She is the chief of community engagement for the NNCC, which is a non-profit organization providing advocacy and public and human services to Hampden County residents with an emphasis on the Hispanic/Latino community.

Burgos is passionate about fostering leadership and collective action to create lasting impacts to benefit current and future generations.

In her words: “We often operate within systems that weren’t designed for our success, but by educating ourselves and maintaining respect for others, we can continue to push for the collective changes that will benefit us all.”