Dr. Violet Jim茅nez Sims is a changemaker who works at the intersection of education, advocacy, and culture. As a Managing Director of Academic Programming and Legislative Affairs for the 黑料新闻 Teacher Residency Program, she is at the forefront of statewide efforts to diversify the teaching profession. Beyond education, she serves as Vice President of the New Britain NAACP and President of the Diaspora Multicultural Society, where she uplifts her community through civil rights work, charitable initiatives, and inclusive social spaces.
An immigrant from the Dominican Republic who came to the U.S. at the age of six, Dr. Violet Jim茅nez Sims draws strength and perspective from her cultural roots and upbringing in New York City and New Britain. At the core of her leadership is authenticity, collaboration, and a deep commitment to building consensus.
In the following Q&A, Dr. Jim茅nez Sims reflects on the experiences that have shaped her leadership, from navigating the world of education policy to embracing her roots and the many ways she continues to build power, connection, and opportunity within her community.
Q: Can you tell us about your upbringing, and what people, places, or values have shaped you?
A: When I think back to the Dominican Republic, I saw and learned how people can be leaders. They can be respected and contribute to anything without necessarily having titles or degrees. I got to see 鈥� especially women in my small community 鈥� being leaders in their households, even if they were staying home, having side hustles, selling helados, and doing different things. It may have seemed like something small and humble, but it was women being able to contribute to their households and their communities.
When you come to the United States, it's a culture shock. With my mother, for example, as a kid, I would be like, 鈥淲hy are we here? It鈥檚 cold.鈥� And she would say things like, 鈥淏ecause having an education from here is going to open different doors and opportunities for you.鈥� So, it was just very early on that I started to have that ingrained in me.
Having worked under good leaders and not-so-good leaders, you learn what not to do, and I've been conscious of what not to perpetuate, because it hasn't helped me develop or hasn鈥檛 felt good in general. But I've also had the opportunity to work with good leaders that I've learned from, leaders who have shaped my values, including things like giving people an opportunity to be heard, being transparent, and sharing information. Sometimes, what you wanted to do isn't what ends up happening, but you can pause and understand why the bigger picture required something different, which helps people feel that they are still valued.
Q: Growing up, what Latinas did you see in leadership roles? How did you start imagining yourself in one?
A: When I was in middle school in New Britain, I got into a TRIO program for first-generation, low-income students that introduced us to college life at Central 黑料新闻 State University. And the leader of that was Awilda Reasco, one of the first Latinas I saw in a prominent role, being a leader in a university setting, speaking our language, and being able to communicate with our parents. For me, she was able to speak to my mom in her home language and explain a lot of things, from financial aid to navigating those spaces.
Otherwise, to be honest, I think the absence of it has actually been one of my motivators. Hopefully, I can be that for somebody else and help others grab by the hand and not pull the ladder up behind me, and create more Latina leaders.
Q: How has your identity as a Latina shaped the way you lead, think, or work?
A: The first step is knowing yourself and your culture. Understanding myself completely has absolutely shaped the way that I can lead and work with authenticity. There's complexity to being a Latina in the U.S. I'm a Latina, but I'm a Dominican. Latino is an umbrella that empowers us, but we also have our own cultures and traditions that shouldn't be lost.
People who speak Dominican Spanish hear all kinds of things, even from other Latinos, because our language varieties carry weight and perceptions, like an urban vernacular versus standard English.
As a Spanish teacher, I remember going to an interview and someone asked, 鈥淏ut which Spanish do you speak?鈥� It is that kind of underhanded implication that, even as a native speaker, it might not be good enough because it wasn鈥檛 [their] variety. I learned to value my language variety so that when someone says something negative, I can pause and push back or explain why I speak the way I do. Knowing myself and my culture helps me better respond, and be an example for others who might internalize those messages.
Q: What inspired you to do the work that you do? Was there a specific moment that sparked your interest?
A: My work as an educator is tricky because I have a bachelor's degree in theater. I was not a person who thought I wanted to be a teacher early on because I didn't see people who looked like me in those positions.
I worked as the coordinator of events and outreach for the Dean of Students Office at UConn. Planning events was great, but the outreach, working with students, and finding ways to engage them was what I really enjoyed. That sparked something. So, I got my master's in Higher Ed Administration, I became an academic advisor, and taught a Freshman Year Experience course. That was my first teaching experience, and it turned out to be the favorite part of my job: planning, interacting, getting creative with lessons. Long story short, I became a teacher, then an administrator, in both K-12 and higher ed.
As someone who grew up with a single parent, low income 鈥� all of the things 鈥� I can pinpoint so many places where somebody looked out for me. That has always inspired me to give back. I knew I wanted to do something where I could collaborate with the community, uplift it, and be here for folks in whatever ways they need.
Q: Has there been a moment that reinforced for you that this is the work you wanted to be doing?
A: There have been so many. As a high school teacher, I got to work one day, and a student was waiting for me at the door. It turned out his mother had passed away very early in the morning. The hospital wasn't too far from there, and I don't think he had even gone home yet. To think that the first place he went, was my classroom, and that he waited at my door to talk to me, was just incredible. I was overcome with emotion, both because of what he was going through, since I cared about him as a student, and because I felt the full weight of the responsibility I had as a teacher. Like, this person who just went through something unimaginable thought to go first to their teacher, not a family member, not anyone else. If you have the ability to build those caring spaces where people feel safe with you, that鈥檚 just huge. That was definitely a big, pivotal moment for me.
It鈥檚 less about a specific title or career and more about reflecting on how you work best, who you want to be surrounded by, and what you want that experience to feel like.
Q: As you reflect on how you got here, what advice would you give young Latinas in finding their purpose?
A: Your purpose doesn't have to be in one place and through one path. As someone who has changed paths quite a bit: theater, going to a technical school, and working as a hairdresser, none of them are things that I regret. They've all built transferable skills for the next step. Finding your passion and your purpose is a lot more about a feeling. Find what your passions are, what things give you a good feeling, and do that. It鈥檚 less about a specific title or career and more about reflecting on how you work best, who you want to be surrounded by, and what you want that experience to feel like. And when it doesn't feel that way, it's okay to get up and go somewhere else 鈥� or build your own thing. If you can't fit at somebody else's table, build your own.
Success is not a straight line; it's finding your way. As long as you're moving forward, as long as you're learning from experiences and moving forward with each of those experiences, that's what it's all about.
Q: Is there anything we didn't touch on that you would like to mention?
A: For our folks, for Latinas, Latinos, any folks from marginalized identities, who have the opportunity to become leaders in whatever their fields are, it's so important to elevate and not perpetuate.
When you have the opportunity to be in these spaces, not be the person that's like, 鈥業 suffered, so everyone else has to suffer.鈥� No, now I have the opportunity to have people not go through that, to change the systems, to create a different climate. In whatever spaces you're in, make sure that people can bring their whole selves, because it makes us all more creative.
This story is part of the series Poderosas: Portraits of Progress, highlighting Latina leaders in our 黑料新闻 communities.
