SEMILLAS EDUCATION COLLECTIVE
WHO WE ARE

BUILT FOR
BELONGING.

Semillas Education Collective is a Richmond-area 501(c)(3) nonprofit creating secular, inclusive opportunities for learning and community.

NOT ONE SIZE.
NOT ONE PATH.

Our work grows from a simple belief: meaningful communities honor different minds, identities, needs, and ways of participating.

01 /

Neurodivergent-affirming

Respecting autonomy, communication differences, sensory needs, and varied learning styles.

02 /

Inclusive by design

Secular, LGBTQ+ inclusive spaces where families can show up as themselves.

03 /

Community-powered

Relationships, collaboration, accountability, and shared responsibility make our work possible.

OUR ROOTS ARE IN CONNECTION. OUR FUTURE IS IN POSSIBILITY.

Meet our programs ↗
INCLUSION IN PRACTICE

BELONGING IS SOMETHING WE DO.

Our commitments show up in how we teach, communicate, and care for each other, not just in the words we put on a website.

Different ways to participate

Kids can speak up, observe, move, take a break, or engage in ways that work for them. We never require eye contact or physical affection.

Identity is respected

Our community is secular, neurodiversity-affirming, and LGBTQ+ affirming. We welcome families across cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs.

Support before shame

When challenges arise, we prioritize safety, regulation, curiosity, accountability, and collaborative problem-solving.

OUR FOUNDERS’ STORY

ONE PROFESSOR.
A DIFFERENT PATH.

I know firsthand what a difference the right support can make, because one college professor changed the course of my education.

During my freshman year, I was struggling academically. A perceptive chemistry professor took the time to see something in me that others had missed. They told me about their grandchild, who was both neurodivergent and gifted, and said they recognized many of those same qualities in me.

They encouraged me to seek an evaluation and helped me connect with accommodations and support. Within six months, I went from failing classes to making the Dean’s List.

My abilities hadn't changed. My access to the support I needed had.

Years later, as JJ and I navigated public education with our own family, I thought often about that professor. We met educators who cared deeply about their students, but who were asked to do so much with too little time, training, and support. The problem wasn't a lack of caring. It was a system that often couldn't give teachers or learners what they needed.

We began asking: What if we built a community where different ways of thinking, learning, and participating were part of the design from the beginning?

In 2022, JJ and I founded Semillas Homeschool Collaborative: a secular, inclusive, family-powered community built around curiosity, autonomy, hands-on learning, and real connection. We weren't trying to recreate a traditional classroom in someone's living room. We wanted to make space for children to grow their way.

In 2026, with Ruthie playing an instrumental role in establishing the nonprofit, that vision expanded into Semillas Education Collective, a 501(c)(3) organization with room to build more learning pathways and community programs across the Richmond area.

We're grateful to the educators who see their students and do everything they can with the resources they have. Semillas is one more way to make sure young people and families have places to feel seen, supported, and connected.

Dr. Annie Mancha-Ramirez and JJ Mancha-Ramirez founded the Homeschool Collaborative in 2022. Ruthie helped establish Semillas Education Collective as a nonprofit in 2026.

THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE VISION

MEET OUR FOUNDERS.

Three people, different experiences, one shared commitment to creating more affirming spaces for young people and families.

Homeschool Collaborative co-founder · Nonprofit co-founder

Dr. Annie Mancha-Ramirez

Annie is a principal scientist, educator, neurodivergent advocate, and mom of three. With a Ph.D. in Biomedical Science and an M.S. in Chemistry, her career spans scientific research, product development, and innovation. Her own educational journey was transformed by access to accommodations and support, an experience that shapes her commitment to learning environments built for different minds. Outside of work, she is a homeschooling parent and hands-on science educator who loves helping kids ask big questions and make discoveries.

Homeschool Collaborative co-founder · Nonprofit co-founder

JJ Mancha-Ramirez

JJ co-founded Semillas Homeschool Collaborative with Annie in 2022 and helped build the community-centered foundation that continues to guide the Collective. He holds a B.S. in Biology, is a stay-at-home parent, and is affectionately known as everyone’s favorite teacher at Semillas. He brings a family-first perspective to creating welcoming spaces for learning and connection.

Semillas Education Collective nonprofit co-founder

Ruthie Gilliland

Ruthie Gilliland was instrumental in founding Semillas Education Collective as a nonprofit in 2026. She holds a master's degree in psychology and has extensive experience working with neurodivergent children. Her children attend Semillas Homeschool Collaborative. Her experience and leadership helped turn a growing homeschool community into an organization with a broader mission and more possibilities for families across the Richmond area.