Doing it her way to make difference!
By Erin Freeman | Lynnwood Times Staff
Editors Note: Pictured above are: (L-R) Daniela Altamirano-Crosby with her mother, Councilwoman Julieta Altamirano-Crosby, and father Patrick Crosby.
Daniela Altamirano-Crosby spent her childhood in Guerrero, Mexico, moving to Washington State in 2009 at just ten years old. Now, as a Lynnwood local, she’s building bridges between the two communities while preparing to graduate from college this coming winter.
Going into her Freshman year of college at the University of Washington (UW), Altamirano-Crosby, 21, set out to study microbiology. The next year, she switched paths, inspired by her mother, Lynnwood councilmember Julieta Altamirano-Crosby, to pursue a double major in political science and Spanish.
“My mom always told me that education is the one thing she can give me,” said Altamirano-Crosby. “And I honestly think education opens doors all around.”
In her final quarter at UW, Altamirano-Crosby is currently interning for Washington State Congresswoman Suzan DelBene, gaining what she describes as valuable insight into the political spectrum at the national level.
Following her graduation this December, she hopes to secure a job in policy work relating to Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), before returning to graduate school in a year or two.
“I’ve always been a firm believer in equity for all,” she said. “I want to be a lawyer and help people from the BIPOC community gain equity all around… I am interested in aiding all communities of color. I think that being bicultural aids me in having an open mind in hearing people’s voices.”
Locally, Altamirano-Crosby is already making headway towards increasing equity in the city of Lynnwood through her memberships within different city-driven and community sectors.
“Right now, my involvement is a little bit of everything,” laughed Altamirano-Crosby.
As the youngest member of the WAGRO Foundation, Altamirano-Crosby serves the local Latinx community and in Guerrero, Mexico increasing educational equity, by providing resources to at-risk and underprivileged youth and supporting families navigate school systems and equipping special needs educators and families with tools to support the students’ needs.
On September 14, the city of Lynnwood established Chilpancingo, Guerrero as a friendship city, naming Altamirano-Crosby as the president of the Guerrero Association. Through her role, she works to cultivate a strengthened cultural awareness for the people of both cities through driving educational opportunities, international visits, exchange programs, humanitarian acts, and community events.
Through her recent appointment to the city of Lynnwood’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission, she hopes to center the DEI into all aspects of Lynnwood’s to meet the city’s mission of being and becoming a welcoming city for all its residents. “I want to make Lynnwood a welcoming city, a truly welcoming one where everyone feels like they can raise their voices,” said Altamirano-Crosby. “That’s my dream.”
