Growing up in Rutherford County with a single mom, Mexican-born Estefania Page, 34, often acted as her mother’s translator, a job that could be nerve-wracking. She spoke for her mom at the hospital in the emergency room, or at home if there was a problem with the utilities. In one rare instance, she even had to translate in court after a conflict with a neighbor. “I was afraid if I would say something wrong, I might get the wrong result, and it would all be on me,” she said.
After leaving Mexico when Page was 4, her mother Blanca found work in factories, which shaped the trajectory of her and her young daughter’s life. When one would close, the two would move—from Texas to Tennessee and finally to North Carolina when Page was 8.
“It was hard because whenever I got adapted to an area I had to give it up and start over somewhere else,” she said. “It was hard to call a place home.”
Through the years, the family made trips back to Monterey, Mexico, her mom’s hometown. There at Page’s grandmother’s house, she was surrounded by cousins, aunts and uncles who showered her with the big-family love she craved so much. As she got older, she and her mom began spending the entire summer in Mexico, which soon became a second home.
Back in North Carolina, Page intuitively worked to build a second family from a young age. She found a youth group at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Forest City, which had a rich Spanish-speaking community, and made friends who spoke her native tongue. Somehow, it even felt better to pray in her native Spanish, something that Page does to this day.
Now 34, Page has transformed her childhood experience into meaningful work giving back to her fellow immigrants. For the past year-and-a-half, she has worked as an adjunct at A-B Tech teaching the Spanish GED program online and an in-person class in Digital Literacy for English Language Acquisition students. She also supports the in-person Community Reporter Class, taught in Spanish in partnership with JMPRO Community Media, which equips Latino students with journalism skills.
Erica Witsell, Page’s supervisor, said Page “is truly a master teacher – always prepared, professional, student-centered, and invitational.”
Page’s work extends in other exciting directions. She is working toward a Master’s of Arts in Teaching Foreign Language Education from UNC Charlotte. And in January she started Casa Latina, a nonprofit based in Rutherford County, where she lives, that serves as a home base for the local Latino community.
“We're focused on getting people in touch with local resources,” she said. “In the future we want to have cultural awareness workshops … If people are willing to learn about the cultures of others, they may be more willing to be open and have closer relationships.”
Page’s current work is the fruit of her own experience in the local Latino community. She’s met many friends and business colleagues through LatinxEd, a nonprofit that connects communities across North Carolina, strengthening educational opportunities through research, training, and advocacy. She served as a Fellow at LatinxEd in 2025, getting free training in advocacy and education policy. Talking with nonprofit directors there gave her the inspiration and confidence to start her own program.
Page stays connected to her Mexican roots by going to her childhood church. She’s also made close friends at work in A-B Tech’s Transitional Studies division, where staff hail from around the world, and through Latinx Ed events, where she’s had the opportunity to do Mexican dance at festivals. An annual trip to Mexico helps her keep in touch with family. And Page admits that she and her husband are spoiled because her mom, now retired and living five minutes away, regularly drops off chicken with Mole sauce, Page’s favorite.
“It’s a combination of different ingredients, nuts, spices, chili peppers and a little bit of chocolate that evens it out,” she said.
Set to finish her graduate certificate program this summer, Page is open to new opportunities ahead. She’d like to move into a full-time director role, either at Casa Latina or another similar non-profit; but no matter what, her heart will always belong to teaching.
“I enjoy it so much,” she said. “Just being able to be with adults who come from similar experiences and know what it’s like to leave everything behind and seek out a better future.”
To read more about Estefania Page, visit Chapter 29. Estefanía Navarro Page: The Interpreter Who Builds Bridges.