March marks Women's History Month, a time to honor the achievements, contributions, and resilience of women throughout history. At AFSA, we proudly celebrate the remarkable women who have shaped our schools and continue to drive them forward. From trailblazing leaders to dedicated advocates, their vision, determination, and hard work inspire us all.
As we reflect on the progress we’ve made and the challenges that lie ahead, let us take a moment to recognize the incredible women within AFSA, who not only embody strength and excellence in their professional roles but also pave the way for future generations to lead with confidence and purpose. Here’s to the women who inspire, empower, and lead the way—today and every day.
San Francisco wasn’t the tech powerhouse it is today when Principal Dina Edwards was growing up there in the 1980s. Her family lived in Oceanview, Merced, Ingleside (OMI), and made a living through hard work. Her mother, Charlotte, was a paraeducator at St. Michael’s Catholic School, where Dina and her brother were students, before becoming a court clerk. Her father, Everette, worked as a public school custodian for nearly 30 years. The extended family, mainly from Louisiana, was large and extremely close-knit. With 28 first cousins, Dina was deeply influenced by the concept of family, and she continues to value that connection today.
Intensely shy, Dina couldn’t have imagined becoming an award-winning school principal. Instead, she dreamed of becoming a teacher of young children.
“In college, people told me not to be a teacher,” she remembers of her days at San Francisco State University. “It’s too hard, and there’s no money in it.”
Instead, she majored in psychology, but the only courses she truly enjoyed were child and family psychology. “It was pretty obvious I was meant to be a teacher,” she says.
Her professional journey followed a steady path, but one that reached heights she hadn’t anticipated. During her credential program, she taught at three different schools, including Malcolm X, where she taught kindergarten. When it was time to move to a permanent job in 1996, there were no openings in kindergarten, so she was persuaded to teach second grade at Sheridan Elementary, her own neighborhood school.
“Second grade is the perfect grade for a new teacher,” she says. “The children are very sweet and cute, but more independent.”
Five years later, she was encouraged to teach first grade there.
“I ended up liking it best because I loved teaching reading,” she says. “It’s exciting because, in the beginning, students can only read one or two words, but by the end, they’re reading books. Knowing you played a part in their success is indescribable.”
Her path to leadership began when her new principal, Nur Jehan Khalique, gradually convinced her to become an instructional reform facilitator (IRF), where she coached teachers on improving instruction. She also had the opportunity to design and implement professional development programs.
While doing this, she and two friends formed a cohort and earned their master’s degrees and credentials in educational administration. In 2009, Principal Khalique was promoted to assistant superintendent, and Dina was named principal of Sheridan. At the time, this wasn’t part of Dina’s career plan, and she thought she would return to teaching after three years. That was 16 years ago.
By then, San Francisco had fully transformed into a tech powerhouse. Wealthy tech professionals from nearby Silicon Valley had moved to the city to take advantage of its rich cultural life and social scene. Dina has witnessed dramatic changes in her city and her school.
“San Francisco has very few Black people now,” she says. “They’ve been forced out of the city and even the state. They can’t afford the rent. Big tech has made things impossible.”
When she started at Sheridan, 60% of the student body was African American. Today, that number has dropped to just 14%, with about 40% Latino and 11% Asian.
The diversity of her student population is something Dina values. “Because of my experience in a large family, I have a strong sense of community and enjoy creating it, bringing students, teachers and parents together.”
“Dina is a courageous leader who is well regarded for her humility, inclusiveness and graciousness,” said AFSA General Vice President Caroline Satoda, a former president of the United Administrators of San Francisco (UASF), AFSA Local 3.
Although Dina tends to avoid confrontation, she admits, “Any time I’ve needed to speak with someone or demand something, I haven’t been afraid. If I have to demand things for my children, like a redesigned school, I’ve demanded things. Our children deserve the best.”
Being a woman has never held her back, she says, adding, “That may be because of my father. I was seriously shy...I mean seriously...and he was so Southern, so outgoing.” As a child, she would sometimes ask him to call people for her because she was too shy to do it herself, but he always insisted she do it. “He may not know it, but he made me not be afraid,” she reflects.
According to Dina, the biggest challenge for principals today is the constant budget cuts. But she insists the benefits outweigh this challenge, because “You have the chance to affect change, to create the kind of environment children need....It’s wonderful to create a community where people enjoy being at the school.”
Dina makes time for students as much as possible, inviting older students to have lunch with her, mentoring one student a year, and going into classrooms to read or teach so teachers can take time off.
As for herself, she has precious little free time. She enjoys scrapbooking, reading for pleasure and occasionally attending plays with her cousin Tina, a civil engineer. “That’s us, Tina and Dina.”
Dina serves on the board of UASF and is active with the Alliance of Black School Educators. In 2017, she received the NAACP Educator of the Year Award.
