Celebrating Latinx Heritage Month with ... Avi Crawford!
They say first-born children are natural leaders, and Avi Crawford is no exception. The eldest of both her parents, this native Philadelphian has always shown drive: a graduate of Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania, she is now, at 27, is the second person to serve as Chief of Staff at East Harlem Tutorial Program (EHTP) — and the youngest.
First-born children also tend to have high standards; if you want to stay on Crawford’s good side, be consistent, and be ON TIME. But also be prepared to have fun! This Beyoncé-loving Aquarius once enjoyed a stint as a rapper (she and her three younger siblings formed CKC -- Crawford Kid Connection), and while she could school you on Puerto Rican history, she’s also well-versed in astrology and pop culture, and has great book recommendations (check out Homegoing). As EHTP celebrates Latinx Heritage Month, we invite you to get to know Avi Crawford:
Q: What does Latinx Heritage Month mean to you?
A: Latinx Heritage Month is a time for me to focus on the history of my people. Whether that is reading Nelson A. Denis' War Against All Puerto Ricans: Revolution and Terror in America's Colony, talking to my Wela and Welo about how they grew up in Puerto Rico or watching Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado, it is a time for me to be intentional in learning history.
Q:How does your identity shape your work?
A: Being Afro-Latina shapes everything that I do. It is how I show up in spaces. It is why I have chosen to dedicate my life to listening and empowering my people.
Q: Why EHTP? What is it about the organization that spoke to you?
A: My involvement with EHTP started with a bus ride down Second Avenue in 2017. On my daily commute, I passed this beautiful blue building and I knew there was some way I could find my purpose again by working with kids. A month or so later I became a mentor with the College Mentor Program (CMP).
When thinking about my career, I knew what my skills were, but I was very unsure of what industry I wanted to be in. I thought about what I did on a weekly basis that truly made me happy and it was my time spent as a CMP mentor. I loved how the staff showed up as their full and authentic selves during our sessions and how they all shared a common purpose, of providing East Harlem students the tools to succeed in high school and ultimately college.
EHTP's focus on East Harlem — a place that reminds me so much of my North Philadelphia home — and its commitment to helping kids succeed and become their best possible selves is something that resonated with me. It’s how I truly want to dedicate my life.
Q: What's Your Why?
A: Helping people figure out their lives.
Q: What do you hope to bring to your new role as Chief of Staff?
A: I hope to bring my passion. I want to make a difference in the world and play a hand in ensuring that kids who look like me get a great education that allows them to thrive, regardless of their zip code. I want that passion to be made known in all of my internal and external meetings. This passion helps when the days feel long and you're trying to find the motivation to keep going.
Q: You have accomplished a lot in a short time. Any advice to Latinx professionals following in your footsteps?
A: Imposter syndrome is very real. I experienced it a lot throughout undergrad, but have been actively working on it ever since. Every day I have to remind myself that my voice, thoughts, and ideas are valid and deserve to be heard and with every passing week it gets easier.
Besides believing in yourself and your voice, It's so important to match what you are good at to what you care about. Think about what role you play in your family/with friends and leverage those skills for your career. When what you are good at comes naturally, it makes work feel less like work and more like an extension of who you are. What you care about is exactly what you like to talk about often. Figure out what topic brings joy to your life and take over that industry! When you can find the perfect mix of those two and can infuse the amazing Latinx culture into the work that you do, it's truly beautiful.
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