Published On: September 15th, 2025By Sandra Perez Chaviano

Collective Heritage: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future

Aniyushka Martin, Aldine’s new executive director of multilingual services

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage with Aniyushka Martin

Every fall, as the world slows into golden hues and and pumpkin spice fills the air, Aldine ISD fills with color, music, and the joyful rhythm of Hispanic Heritage Month. It’s a time to honor the past — the traditions, languages, and histories that shaped generations — and to light the way for the future.

For Aniyushka Martin, Aldine’s new executive director of multilingual services, this celebration is deeply personal.

Born and raised in McAllen, Texas, near the U.S.-Mexico border, Martin grew up in a home where Spanish, English and Farsi danced together in daily life. Her Mexican mother and Iranian father wove a rich tapestry of cultures that shaped her understanding of identity and belonging. Summers spent in Monterrey, Mexico City and Guadalajara deepened her love for the languages, stories and traditions of her heritage — and ignited a lifelong passion for multilingual education.

“Language is more than words,” Martin said. “It’s community. It’s identity. It’s opportunity.”

A Legacy of Languages

That belief is now the heart of her work at Aldine ISD — a district where more than 60 languages are spoken and 43% of students are emergent bilinguals.

“I chose Aldine ISD for its unwavering dedication to equity and inclusion,” Martin said. “As a proudly designated dual language district, Aldine is a leader in fostering inclusive education.”

Her vision centers on advancing bilingualism, biliteracy and sociocultural competence — pillars she calls essential for ensuring that every student, especially emergent bilinguals, has access to rigorous, culturally responsive instruction that prepares them for lifelong success.

And that vision comes to life through an impressive network of programs and support. The Multilingual Services Department coordinates dual language and bilingual education, ESL programs, newcomer support, sheltered instruction and language proficiency assessments. Beyond academics, they offer parent information sessions, ESL and GED classes, and connect families with community partners to help them navigate resources and advocate for their children’s learning.

“Multilingual services are vital to our community,” Martin said. “They go beyond language instruction — they are tools for equity, engines for student success and pathways to belonging.”

Her team also leads efforts to verify and celebrate the full spectrum of languages spoken across Aldine, ensuring that no student’s identity is overlooked.

“When we honor and leverage students’ home languages and cultural backgrounds,” she said, “we create inclusive spaces where every student feels valued and empowered to thrive.”

In a district where nearly 75% of students are Hispanic, this work has powerful ripple effects.

Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future

This year’s Hispanic Heritage Month theme — “Collective Heritage: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future” — feels written for leaders like Martin.

Her story is one of honoring where you come from while building a future where every voice belongs. She stands as a bridge between cultures, showing students that their roots are not obstacles — they are launchpads.

Throughout September and October, Aldine ISD will celebrate that shared heritage with Book Lotería, Dress-Up Day, cafecito and pan dulce gatherings, and a virtual Hispanic leadership panel featuring Aldine leaders.

And as the mariachi music echoes through the halls and folklórico dancers twirl their bright skirts, Martin hopes students see their reflections in the celebration — and feel proud.

“Our students carry their ancestors’ hopes in their hearts,” she said. “When they walk into our classrooms speaking Spanish, or Vietnamese, or Arabic, they are carrying generations of courage. Our job is to make sure they know they belong — and that they can soar.”