About Solutions...

For educators in any learning community to center trustworthy, mutually accountable relationships for our collective healing, and the well-being, support and engagement of future generations.   

In October of 2020, I, Manuel Cadenas as a multilingual educator of over 18 years, became a community-based partner by founding a consultancy I named "Solutions By Cadenas" 

Though I am a proud original of the Caribbean coast of South America, I've claimed South Seattle/Renton, WA  as "home" since the turn of the century. There, I have had the privilege of having been inspired by the resilience our youth and their families embody on a daily basis. Though in those schools of the "South End" I have been known by thousands as a math teacher, an International Baccalaureate (IB) instructor of World Languages', a Basketball coach and a mentor, my identities as a proud first-generation immigrant, father, husband, and a son precede all of the above...  

Over the years as a certificated teacher in grades K-8 from 2003 until 2012, and later with endorsements for grades 9th-12th, I have strived to be an educator that is "energetic, empathetic, and REAL". My scholars, along with their guardians who simply refer to me as "Mr. C", have witnessed how their classroom teacher has surpassed his passion for subject matter by being an eager advocate for the rights of Black, brown, Indigenous and non-English speaking children beyond the four walls of a classroom. The decades invested in traditional education have provided me insight as to "what has worked", and what isn't being provided to our youth of the global majority in those educational spaces.

Additionally, I have served beyond being an educator in professional communities. Other complimentary roles such as department/curricular lead, union representative and liaison for fellow educators of colors are only some that I have covered at different timespans. Even though I am not currently in the traditional classroom, Solutions By Cadenas as an agency continues to impact different local public school districts by being a stalwart presence for equitable discipline measures, multi-tiered support systems (MTSS) as well as positive behavior intervention supports (PBIS) for those who need it most. I remain very much in favor of policy changes that would cease the neglect of the greatness within our melanated youth. In addition, I fervently seek the prioritization of mental health services and the intentional allocation of funds towards trauma-informed practices, and social-emotional learning that is not exclusive to students, but inclusive to the adults they are entrusted to... 

Needless to say, I continue to challenge decision-makers to concertedly meet our youth "half-way", and to bridge gaps to truly grasp the developmental stage each of our children and young folks may be in... 

Only then, our youth may allow us adults to get to know them and to assess their most basic human needs: To belong and be cared for. Needs which are long overdue for all of humanity.

Young folks desperately need our guidance... And we too need theirs! So let's build partnerships to offer SOLUTIONS to them, their families, and their educators.

In Service to Our Youth,

Manuel Cadenas, Founder / CEO / Lead Educator / Mediator