Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Chelsea Baez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Chelsea, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
While the brand LaProfeBaez is relatively new, I have been a world language educator for adults and high school students for 12 years. I was never interested in being an educator. I always believed I was way too impatient to teach. Then, in 2012, I was introduced to someone who eventually became a good friend of mine. She didn’t speak English, yet she wanted to learn English so that she could take and pass the GED exam in English. That year, I became a tutor with a GED program for Spanish-speaking adults in Murfreesboro, TN. Through that program, I met so many Spanish-speakers who had a desire to learn English as a means of presenting opportunities for better paying jobs and overall community involvement. After 1 year of being with that program, I thought, “there’s definitely a need here and maybe I can fulfill it.” Within a month or so, I was able to recruit students from MTSU that were majoring or minoring in Spanish, who would volunteer a few hours a week to teach English to approximately 5-8 adult students. What started as a series of small sessions in our college library became something so much more. A local pastor offered us his church as a permanent location for classes. Word spread quickly. By the time the spring came, we had 20+ adult students and a childcare option that was also run by volunteers. It was then that I realized what my calling was–education. I named my first organization Español a Inglés, and for a few years, we had a great run. In 2015, I accepted a full-time teaching position in Arkansas which took me away from my Murfreesboro; however, my mission hadn’t changed. After leaving Arkansas in 2016, I moved to Memphis, TN. Español a Ingles followed; however, it became a private tutoring service primarily focused on school aged children ages 5-15. In 2019, I accepted a full-time teaching position at a charter school in Memphis where I taught Spanish 1 and 2, was the club advisor for La Mesa Española and heavily involved in volunteering with many bilingual organizations within the city. Between 2023 and 2024, I led 2 international tours of 29 students to Paris, France, Barcelona, Spain and Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic. Both experiences were driven by my passions for travel and education, but the outcome was that my students had become global citizens who enjoyed applying what they’d learned in the classroom to real life. Currently, I am a Honors Spanish 1 and 2 educator in Memphis, TN. My mission, now tied to the brand LaProfeBaez, is to empower Black youth through Spanish language acquisition and cultural awareness, fostering bilingualism as a tool for global citizenship and success in an increasingly interconnected world.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Chelsea Baez, LaProfeBaez, is a dedicated world language educator with 12 years of experience teaching students in grades 9-12. With a strong belief in the power of language as a bridge to understanding diverse cultures, I have made it my mission to inspire students to appreciate the richness of global perspectives through bilingualism. In addition to my work in the classroom, I am a bilingual children’s book author. My books celebrate cultural diversity and promote inclusivity. My stories are crafted to engage young readers while providing them with the tools to navigate and appreciate a multicultural world.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being creative is the ability to bring my 5 year old’s stories to life. Whether it’s a character, a story, a world, or even just a sentence, it’s incredibly fulfilling to craft the story that was in her head and/or reflects her growth over the last few years, weeks or months. It’s also really rewarding to connect with people through my work. When someone reads something I’ve written and tells me it made them laugh, learn new words, think or feel something, that’s an amazing feeling. It’s like building a bridge between my mind and theirs and they’re excited to see what other stores I can bring to life. And finally, I think creativity is just fun! The ability to play with words and ideas, experiment with different ways to tell a story, and the story not necessarily be factual. It’s a constant process of discovery, and I’m always learning new things both being a new author and from my daughter.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My daughter drives my mission and creative journey. She inspires me daily to not be afraid to say silly things and imagine almost impossible creatures and story lines. She was the inspiration behind finishing something that I started over 20 years ago, and here we are, 4 books later and living out what used to be an old manuscript in a closet.
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