Vickie Castro facts for kids

Vickie Castro (born August 20, 1946) is an American educator and activist. She is known for her important work with groups like the Young Citizens for Community Action and the Brown Berets. Vickie also played a big part in the East L.A. walkouts. Later, she worked for the Los Angeles Unified School District. She even became a member of the LA School Board, helping to make decisions about schools.

Early Life and Activism

Vickie Castro was born in Los Angeles, California. She attended Roosevelt High School. After high school, she went to California State University, Los Angeles. During college, Vickie realized how important it was to stand up for her community. She saw how different her college world was from her Mexican-American neighborhood.

Forming the Brown Berets

In 1966, Vickie Castro met with David Sanchez and other students. They attended the Annual Chicano Student Conference at Camp Hess Kramer. This group of high school students talked about problems affecting Mexican Americans. They discussed issues in their neighborhoods, called barrios, and in their schools. These discussions led them to form a group. It was first called the Young Chicanos For Community Action. This group later became known as the Brown Berets.

The East L.A. Walkouts

Vickie Castro was a founding member of the Brown Berets. She played a key role in organizing the East L.A. walkouts. These walkouts happened on March 6, 1968. Students walked out of several high schools in East Los Angeles. They were protesting against unequal conditions in their schools. Vickie's car was even used to help pull down a fence at Roosevelt High School during these protests.

Working for Schools

After college, Vickie Castro became a teacher. She started working at Hollenbeck Junior High School. Later, she became the principal at Belvedere Junior High School. She worked for the Los Angeles Unified School District for 25 years.

In 1993, Vickie decided to run for office. She was elected to the LA School Board. She was the second Latina woman to join the board. The first was Leticia Quezada. Vickie left the school board in 2001. After that, she became the principal of Hollenbeck Junior High School, where she had once taught.