Transforming Education for Unhoused Youth
Afira Arrastia-DeVries is making a profound impact on San Diego’s educational landscape. As the President and CEO of the Monarch School Project, she leads the only K‑12 public institution in the United States exclusively dedicated to educating unhoused students. Her innovative leadership is reshaping how educators support vulnerable youth.
With a background in sociology and a strong focus on poverty alleviation and anti-segregation efforts, Afira brings a unique perspective to her role. Her journey to the Monarch School Project began as a social care consultant, where she quickly recognized the school’s potential to create lasting change in the lives of unhoused and traumatized youth.
Under Afira’s leadership, the Monarch School has evolved beyond traditional education. The institution now serves as a model for educators and professionals seeking to better support unhoused students. She has spearheaded efforts to codify the school’s innovative practices into a formal training curriculum. Recently, with the support of the San Diego Foundation, she launched a program that has already trained 25 professionals in these groundbreaking methods.
Empowering Students with Strength-Based Learning
Afira champions a strength-based model that prioritizes student autonomy and self-sufficiency. This approach shifts the school’s measure of success beyond academic achievement to include students’ ability to maintain a living wage and break the cycle of poverty. By fostering dignity and empowerment, she ensures that students leave with the skills and confidence needed for long-term success.
Born in Jamaica, Queens, and raised in Worcester County, Massachusetts, Afira’s diverse background informs her leadership. As a Black Latina woman in a position of influence, she recognizes the importance of representation. Her role as a leader not only impacts the students she serves but also provides a powerful example for young people who may not often see themselves reflected in leadership positions.
Addressing Systemic Issues of Homelessness
Looking ahead, Afira is passionate about addressing the root causes of homelessness. She advocates for mixed-income living environments and multi-generational investments in housing solutions. Her vision extends beyond temporary solutions, calling for sustainable, community-based approaches to break the cycle of poverty and instability.
“We need to shift from short-term fixes to sustainable, community-based approaches. It’s about creating mixed-income living environments to break the cycles of poverty and wealth concentration. This requires long-term, multi-generational investments in housing solutions.”
- Afira Arrastia-DeVries
Balancing Leadership and Family Life
Afira’s commitment to her work is deeply personal. Balancing her professional responsibilities with her family’s needs, she remains dedicated to making a meaningful impact. Her future plans include launching an executive coaching business to support other BIPOC women in leadership roles, furthering her influence beyond the Monarch School.
Afira Arrastia-DeVries combines compassion with action, vision with practicality, and personal experience with professional expertise. Her work at the Monarch School Project is not just transforming the lives of unhoused students today but also paving the way for a more equitable and supportive educational system for generations to come.