I’m David Schmidt-Jimenez, a late-diagnosed autistic, Cuban-American educator, ESOL teacher, and teacher trainer based in Baltimore.

My path through education was nonlinear. I was labeled “gifted” while struggling to function in systems that prioritized compliance over understanding. I took seven years to complete my undergraduate degree, taught English internationally through the Peace Corps, and later returned to U.S. classrooms to work with multilingual learners in under-resourced settings.

Since my return to Baltimore and employment with Baltimore City Public Schools, I have served in the roles of English Language Development / ESOL Content Specialist for Teach for America and as a Professional Learning Facilitator and Designer for Baltimore City Public Schools. I also led professional learning on Self-Determination Theory for Multilingual Learners this summer for the Maryland State Department of Education.

That lived experience—combined with years of classroom practice and teacher training—shapes everything I do.

I don’t believe engagement is about control.

I believe it’s about autonomy, dignity, and meaningful participation.