Author Spotlight: Empowering Spanish Speakers

Her doctoral award from the University of Arizona included special education, bilingual education and sociocultural studies. Her Master of Science degree from Florida Institute of Technology is in Business Systems Management. She also has a BS in Business, a BA in Divinity, and an Able Toastmaster Silver distinction for her inspirational speaking. Her spirit of adventure led her to become an FAA Certified Flight Instructor so that she could visit an Inuit village and met fellow female trailblazer Astronaut Sally Ride.

Her passion is to offer educational opportunities to marginalized Mexicans. In her youth in New Mexico, Mexican immigrant mothers nurtured her self-esteem at a time when her own parents could not. Her mother, Rosaline at 20, was a strikingly beautiful cameo perfect olive-skinned woman of Scottish heritage and of Lutheran faith. She was 6’1″ tall. Her father, Joseph at 24, appeared to be of Mexican heritage. He was barely 5’6″ tall, dark-skinned, handsome, charming, uniformed (USAF) and wore a handlebar mustache. His entire life he was mistaken for a Mexican. His first language was Polish, his second English. He spoke excellent Spanish; he was the first-born son of a Polish immigrant and of the Roman Catholic faith.

People always remarked on Jacqueline’s parent’s physical differences. The couple told of their attraction, short 28 day court-ship then leading to their matrimonial goal of being the parents of six tall sons. Nevertheless, after six years of trying, they had only one girl and no joint heritages, rituals, or family ties to strengthen their marriage. Additionally, Joseph had been totally rejected by his family for marrying outside the Roman Catholic faith.

Rudolph David Zaleski was born eighteen months after Jacqueline. Their overwhelming joy was very short lived. Rosaline developed Hemolytic disease. Their infant was large and appeared perfectly healthy, but died in only four days. Joseph and Rosaline were devastated, neither ever totally recovered. While Joseph had his love of work and spent his whole life as a workaholic (USAF and NASA), Rosaline branded herself a failure at life and sank into a deep depression by becoming an alcoholic; a state from which she never emerged.

Jacqueline learned, first hand, the value of preserving cultural roots and reducing emigration to foreign countries. Every day Jacqueline gives thanks to God for her many early Mexican mother role models. They inspired her life’s work, to help those who are marginalized or disabled to be understood by those who face fewer challenges.

Need a Speaker? Feedback? More information & photos? Visit http://www.couchsurfing.org under jzmackenzie living in Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico, email contact jzm@email.arizona.edu, or postal service at 220 North Zapata Hwy, Suite 11, PMB 512-A, Laredo, TX 78043-4464.