Hundreds Gather at Candlelight Vigil to Honor Beloved Wilshire Park Teacher Mayra Jimenez

Colleagues, parents, and students remember tireless advocate whose legacy of service touched countless lives

LOS ANGELES – Hundreds of students, parents, colleagues, and community members gathered Friday outside Wilshire Park Elementary School for a candlelight vigil honoring beloved third-grade teacher and UTLA advocate Mayra Jimenez, 46, whose life was tragically taken this week in what police are investigating as a domestic violence homicide.

Speakers remembered Mayra as a tireless advocate for her students and colleagues, and a deeply loved member of the Wilshire Park community.

"Mayra was adored by her colleagues, cherished by her students, and deeply loved by the Wilshire Park community. She was always smiling, and her generosity, advocacy, and love for her students and colleagues showed up in everything she did. She brought warmth into every room she entered," said Sarah McNeil, a friend. “She's the teacher that stayed at recess to give students extra support, called her teaching partner to book ideas for lesson plans over the weekend and went shop to shop, to find just the right supplies to make her classroom exciting and engaging.”

Parents described how Mayra's leadership extended far beyond her own classroom.

"Any questions or ideas we proposed to any teacher, we were always told, check with Miss Mayra, ask Miss Mayra," said Tracy Park, a Wilshire Park parent. "This is how we understood that she was a leader and a fierce advocate for her colleagues… Miss Mayra, we never got to say thank you in person. Let me thank you now. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you."

Another parent, Karen Chacon, shared how Mayra transformed her family's life.

"Miss Mayra was not just a teacher. She was someone who truly saw children for who they were and believed in who they could become," Chacon said. "When our child needed extra care and support, Ms. Mayra didn't step back, she stepped forward… When a teacher helps a child, they help a family, and when they help a family, they change lives. Miss Mayra changed our lives, and I know she changed many more."

Friends and colleagues remembered Jimenez not only for her dedication to teaching, but for the joy she brought to everything she did, from her fierce love for her family and students to her passion for the Dodgers.

Cecily Myart-Cruz, president of United Teachers Los Angeles, called Mayra a powerful voice for justice.

“We are devastated and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy. Mayra was an activist, an advocate, a leader, a friend, and most of all a beloved teacher,” Myart-Cruz said. “Her love for her students was paramount, and she worked hard, stayed late, and always led by example.”

Speakers throughout the evening emphasized the importance of focusing on Mayra's legacy as an educator and advocate, celebrating the profound impact she had on her students, colleagues, and the Wilshire Park community.

Attendees closed the vigil by lighting candles and standing in a moment of silence, pledging to honor Mayra's legacy by continuing her work advocating for students, educators, and safe schools.

Anyone experiencing domestic violence can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or the Los Angeles County Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-978-3600.

MEDIA NOTE: Some early reports incorrectly listed Mayra Jimenez's age. She was 46 years old.

Google Drive Folder with photos of Mayra and photos from candlelight vigil.

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