Hispanic Heritage Month: Manny Abarca

KCPS is continuing our celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month with a profile of one of our own Board members, Manny Abarca.

Manny is a fourth-generation Mexican-American whose great-grandparents immigrated to Kansas City. He is especially proud of his working-class upbringing, the son of a 30-year Union Teamster and a dedicated mother of three who taught her children the importance of education. Today, Manny and his wife, Alexis, are raising the next generation in the Historic Northeast.

Manny holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Central Missouri. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Missouri. He has been involved in many community organizations that support the Hispanic Community in Kansas City, including Guadalupe Center Educational Systems, MoKan Goodwill, ReDiscover Mental Health Clinics, Samuel Rodgers Health Center, Healing House Inc., the Northeast Chamber of Commerce, Historic Kansas City Foundation and the Indian Mound Neighborhood Association. He works for Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II and other local Democratic causes. He has represented Sub-District 3 on the KCPS Board of Trustees since 2019 and serves as Board Treasurer.