“I was devastated…that’s where my hostility [emerged]…I started reflecting on my own education and I could just see where it lacked.” Victoria M. Castro. Latinas in the United States: A Historical Encyclopedia.

Born and raised in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles, Castro attended area schools where she became a student/activist. A Mexican American youth leadership conference attended by students from throughout the city, opened the doors to forming the Young Citizens for Community Action, later renamed Young Chicanos for Community Action. In 1968 Castro and the YCCA helped organize the East Los Angeles high school walkouts (“blowouts”). Thus began a life-long commitment to the Chicano community and educational reform. A credentialed teacher, Castro became principal of Belvedere Junior High School in 1986. In 1993 Castro was elected to the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board. After her eight years of service, she returned to school administration in 2001 as the principal of Hollenbeck Junior High School in Los Angeles.