Teaching Belonging: A Thank You to the Educators Who See Us
By Allison Aliaga, Chief Growth Officer, World Savvy
I became an American by accident.
My parents fled violence in Peru, crossed a desert with nothing but faith and grit, and found themselves in a Southern California hospital after a car crash. My mother, bruised and scared, barely spoke the language. But she understood one sentence: “Congratulations, you’re having a baby.”
That’s how I became an American.
I was born an American, but my childhood was shaped by fear. Fear that one day my parents, who were undocumented, wouldn’t come home. Fear that they’d be taken, and my brother and I would be left behind.
If you’ve never lived with that kind of fear, it’s hard to explain. It weaves itself into you. It teaches you how to disappear. How to quiet your voice. How to scan a room faster than you can read a book. How to shrink yourself just enough to fit in—but never stand out.
School was supposed to be a safe place. But in many ways, it made the fear of not belonging sharper.
There were teachers who changed my experience in school. Educators who saw me. Who didn’t ask me to leave parts of myself at the door. Who named my strengths before I could fully recognize them. They helped me find my voice—as Allison, and as an American.
So when I saw that Denver Public Schools sued the federal government to prevent immigration enforcement from entering their schools, it was a clear act of choosing courage over comfort. Although a federal judge denied their request, the district’s efforts highlight the unwavering commitment of educators and the community to assert: You are safe here.
At World Savvy, this belief—that students can only truly thrive when they feel they belong—is at the heart of everything we do. We work with schools and educators to reimagine classrooms as spaces where identity isn’t erased, it’s celebrated. Where students don’t have to choose between achievement and authenticity. Where belonging is foundational—not an afterthought.
We begin with connection. We help educators create environments where students are not just present, but known. Where trust and psychological safety aren’t nice-to-haves—they’re the first step in a transformative learning journey.
Because when students feel safe, they take risks.
When they feel seen, they speak up.
And when they feel they belong, they flourish.
And when we make that possible for young people, we’re not just transforming classrooms—we’re shaping a generation of adults who will thrive in their communities, lead with empathy, and live into their full potential.
This Teacher Appreciation Week, I want to say thank you—not just for teaching content, but for creating conditions.
To the educators who ask the deeper questions.
Who stand up for the students whose stories the world doesn’t always make space for.
Who understand that every child brings stories, struggles, and brilliance that deserve to be honored.
You make it possible for students to show up fully.
And you make it possible for our schools to become what they were always meant to be:
Places of possibility. Of purpose. Of belonging.
