Maritza García: Dando Voz a los Niños y Fortaleciendo a las Familias

Durante la pandemia, el cierre de su centro infantil la llevó a escribir Aprendamos a ser padres, una guía basada en las experiencias que vivió apoyando a niños y familias.

“Traté de sacarle provecho a esa situación y me enfoqué en escribir un libro para seguir aportando y ayudando. Me enfoco en el niño desde antes de nacer hasta llevarlo a un centro de cuidado, haciendo énfasis en cómo elegir los sitios adecuados”, explica Maritza.

Uno de los temas que más le apasiona es ayudar a los padres a reconocer las necesidades emocionales de sus hijos y prestar atención a las señales que muchas veces los niños expresan sin palabras.

Actualmente, Maritza continúa trabajando con menores migrantes que llegan solos o separados de sus familias. Para ella, ayudar a estos niños a recuperar la confianza y sentirse seguros representa una nueva etapa de servicio y compromiso con la comunidad.

Al concluir la entrevista, compartió un mensaje dirigido a los padres y cuidadores:

“El bullying también empieza en casa. Cada vez que le decimos a un niño: ‘¿Por qué no eres como tu hermano?’ o ‘No sirves para nada’, lo estamos debilitando emocionalmente. Tenemos que aprender a hablarles con amor, fuerza y confianza para que desarrollen resiliencia cuando enfrenten situaciones difíciles”, reflexiona Maritza.

Maritza cree firmemente que las familias fuertes construyen comunidades fuertes, y que cada niño merece crecer sintiéndose amado, valorado y capaz de alcanzar su máximo potencial.

In keeping with this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month theme, “United We Are Stronger,” Latina Today (MujerLatinaToday.com) and the Hispanic Chamber Cincinnati Foundation celebrate the leadership and commitment of Latinos making a difference in the United States.
In this special episode of Latina Today Podcasts, host Lorena Mora-Mowry speaks with Maritza García—an author, educator, and advocate for children and families. During the interview, Maritza shares her immigration story, her calling to early childhood education, and the work she has done for over two decades to support families from diverse backgrounds.

Escucha su podcast en Latina Today podcast series en Spotify

Maritza García: Giving Children a Voice and Strengthening Families

Originally from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Maritza holds a degree in nursing and specializes in family planning and reproductive health. Upon arriving in Cincinnati with her husband and two daughters, she discovered a new calling after experiencing the challenges of finding quality childcare for her own family.

“That was a defining moment for me when I started working and had to leave my daughters because they were young. I realized the importance of dedicating myself to something that would allow me to be closer to them and educate them,” Maritza recalls.

Motivated by that experience, she founded Little Hands, Inc., a licensed childcare center that she operated for over 23 years in Ohio. Through this center, she provided support—particularly to working Hispanic families—by helping them find resources, guidance, and safe environments for their children.

Throughout her career, Maritza has combined her professional expertise with a deep commitment to service. In addition to authoring the books Aprendamos a ser padres (Let’s Learn to Be Parents) and Su voz será oída(Their Voice Will Be Heard), she has served as a Sunday school teacher, a chaplain, and a foster parent for migrant minors. During the pandemic, the closure of her childcare center led her to write Aprendamos a ser padres (Let’s Learn to Be Parents), a guide based on her experiences supporting children and families.

“I tried to make the best of that situation and focused on writing a book so I could continue to contribute and help. I focus on the child’s journey from before birth through their transition to a childcare center, emphasizing how to choose the right facilities,” Maritza explains.
One of the topics she is most passionate about is helping parents recognize their children’s emotional needs and pay attention to the signals children often express without words.

Maritza continues to work with migrant minors who arrive alone or separated from their families. For her, helping these children regain their confidence and feel safe represents a new chapter of service and commitment to the community.

At the end of the interview, she shared a message for parents and caregivers:

“Bullying also starts at home. Every time we say to a child, ‘Why aren’t you like your sibling?’ or ‘You’re good for nothing,’ we are emotionally weakening them. We must learn to speak to them with love, strength, and confidence so they can develop resilience when facing difficult situations,” Maritza reflects.

Maritza firmly believes that strong families build strong communities, and that every child deserves to grow up feeling loved, valued, and capable of reaching their full potential.