In 2018, Veva Islas was elected to serve on the Fresno Unified School District Board of Education — one of the most rewarding experiences of her life. She has voted to expand dual immersion programs and increase teacher pay, and has advocated for school bonds that have improved school facilities in the McLane region.
Veva Islas is the child of Mexican immigrants. Her parents did not have many educational opportunities, but they knew the importance of education for their children. They worked hard to ensure their family had a home and food on the table, and it was through their arduous labor working in the fields of this valley that Veva was able to go to college and earn a Master’s degree. She inherited her parents’ work ethic and family values, which she has practiced throughout her career and in raising her own children.
“If our students are not getting up every day excited to go to school, then we are not doing enough to make them feel loved and know that they belong.”
Veva was the first member of her family to go to college, a success she also attributes to the phenomenal teachers who dedicated their careers to making a difference in the lives of the students they taught. Her K-12 teachers made a huge difference in her life trajectory, inspiring her to do her best and set her sights on college.
“Our ability to rise above all the challenges we face as a community, from poverty to homelessness, depends on a well-educated population that knows its rights and holds decision-makers accountable.”
Veva attended Fresno State, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Science with an emphasis in Community Health. She later attended Loma Linda University and earned a Master’s in Public Health with an emphasis in Health Education and Promotion. Following college, she began her work in public health, serving as a Health Educator in community clinics, health departments, the California Department of Public Health, and Medi-Cal managed care plans. Eventually, she founded Cultiva La Salud, a public health service and advocacy organization dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of disadvantaged residents in Fresno County.
