Carlos Alvarez's bio
Carlos Álvarez is a former veteran teacher who has worked a myriad of educational settings within in Los Angeles County, CA. He possesses over fifteen years of experience servicing youth at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. In these teaching posts, Carlos has been able to infuse a holistic approach to learning and teaching that afford students an educational experience rooted in real-world connections. He possesses ample expertise in curriculum design, educational pedagogy, and life skills, which aids his ability to support students in learning how to be the most authentic version of themselves in and beyond the classroom.
As a bilingual and biliterate social justice educator, Carlos has taught classes in both English and Spanish to ensure equitable access of lesson standards and educational outcomes. Although he wholeheartedly enjoys working with youth, Carlos has become passionate about adult career education through his work as a Green Janitor Education Program (GJEP) Instructor for Building Skills Partnership (BSP). In this role he trained various cohorts of janitors to become certified in implementing environmentally sustainable initiatives that empower them to practice green cleaning practices both at work and at home. Additionally, upon successful completion of the training program and examinations, participants receive an official Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certificate, which participants can utilize as a means of upward mobility within their profession as defined by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).
Carlos joins the California Association of Peer Supporters (CAPS) Academy as a Training Instructor. He is a member of the CAPS Academy May 2024 cohort and successfully passed the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification Examination in June 2024. In his current position at Project Return Peer Support Network (PRPSN), he seeks to utilize his lived experience in recovery and teaching expertise to help support others on their journey who seek to become certified Peers. Specifically, Carlos journeys with anxiety, childhood abuse, CPTSD, depression, insomnia, life-long trauma, and OCD each day. It is with this lens that he seeks to be part of the solution when it comes to mental health and life in today’s world. Carlos was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He is a lover of nature, enjoys cooking and sharing quality food with others, and seeks to love to learn and learn to love.