Originally from Panama, Anastasia Lindo Anderson’s parents moved their family to California to further their education. Once she graduated from college in St. Louis, Anderson didn’t picture herself as a teacher until she moved to Houston. Now, as CEO of Houston non-profit Emerge, she helps high-achieving students from low-income communities graduate high school and get a college degree, supporting students from junior year to college graduation.
Q: Why did you want to originally become a teacher?
“I enrolled in the program Teach for America and decided to try it for two years, and that’s how I landed in Houston, and fell in love with students and the process of learning. My initial school was so dysfunctional. Three different principals the first three years. I remember standing in my classroom thinking, I can run a school better than this. I stuck with it past the two years because I loved the kids, the process of learning, and ultimately wanted to go into leadership in the education space to ensure the schools that I ran really were schools that all kids could learn in.”
Q: What’s an issue that you continue to see in the Houston school system and how can we work to solve it?
“I’m at Washington University and very few African-American students were there when I entered, and the few that were there, some of them trickled off and transferred to other universities. I couldn’t figure out why because they were all brilliant and deserved to be there and graduate. When I think about Houston, I still have that negling feeling that we’re leaving a lot of talent behind. There’s brilliance in every community, affluent or impoverished. It doesn’t matter the economic state of the community. I hope as we’re in this space of a takeover for the district, that we continue to see kids for more than just test scores. I also want to see them for the talent, the aspirations, the hopes that they have, and create a learning environment that allows them to pursue all things.”
Q: When you’re not working, what do you like to do for fun around Houston?
“I love to eat. Mia’s Table is such good family comfort food. When extended family gets together, we like to gather there, get the free ice cream, laugh and feel good together. I go to a lot of coffee shops. One of my favorites is the Pondicherri coffee and bake lab. The one that’s upstairs. It represents the culture of Houston and diverse, interesting, adventurous food experiences.”
