Henry Leonel Sales Hernández is an Indigenous Maya Mam educator, researcher, and doctoral student in the School of Education at UC Berkeley. Born and raised in San Juan Atitán, Guatemala, and currently living in Oakland, California, his work is rooted in language justice, cultural affirmation, and educational equity. His research and work focuses on the revitalization of the Mam language through early childhood education, storytelling, and community-based practices. Drawing on ethnographic methods, Henry studies how Mam toddlers, youth, and their families in Oakland engage with books and stories to nurture identity, emotional well-being, and language development. Prior to graduate school, he taught and worked in the Oakland Unified School District and led Mam language workshops for youth and adults. Henry’s academic and community efforts aim to support Mam families navigating bi/multilingual and transnational lives, and to build bridges between Indigenous knowledge systems and educational institutions.
Department and Institution:
School of Education, UC Berkeley
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