Who Am I?

    

Growing up I constantly asked myself, "Who am I?" I felt like I was two types of a person, at school I was an English American and at home I was a Dominican who spoke Spanish. I never thought the two could coexist in the same space. I was always embarrassed of my native language. If you know a Latinx, we are loud and energetic. I remember for the schools events I wouldn't tell my parents about them because I didn't want them to speak Spanish

and be themselves. As my education career continued I hid my culture, my roots. My classmates would say "must be cool speaking two languages" but that wasn't enough for me to feel comfortable and safe I believe those words should come from the educators and from the institutions. I believe my embarrassing stage didn't break through until college. I came to express and love who I really am. I am a straight brown Dominican Spanish female. I have a skill that should be valued, a language that is beautifully spoken and that was in rooted into the English language.

     As I watched the TEDx talk video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4dc1axRwE4 I agreed (snapping my fingers through out the video) with everything Jamila Lyiscott had preached on language in the institution space. 

 I loved the 5 A's 

 Awareness- Who am I

Agency and Access- Understanding the process

Actualization

Achievement

Alteration and Action

                                                                                           

  

 I enjoyed reading Priya Parmar and Shirley Steinberg stories on their experience working in an Urban high school teaching Hip-Hop. This brought me back to my PASA days when I taught dance and my students believe I wasn't capable to teach them because of the age difference ( I was 3 years older than them). What caught my attention was this quote, "We have also found that as educators, we cannot possibly begin to teach with frankness unless we name who we are in relation to our curriculum." I believe as educators we must identify ourselves, who am I once you identify yourself accept it.

Identity is a huge role when it comes to a youth space, I believe this

lays out how you teach, the energy in the space and your relationship with the students. I also think that we do change, our identity isn't consistent. I may be wrong but I take myself as an example. I believed teaching was a straight line, there was a certain way to teach and now my views have changed. I am a Dominican, Latina, Spanish speaker, brown and female.

In Ydev 350 we wrote a journal entry on our identity and a response on a chapter of a book, I would like to share my response

I AM……

Female, Straight

Dominican,Latina

Straight bruinette long hair,brown skin

A dog mom

A college student

An older sister to twin brothers

Bilingual Spanish and English speaking

Creative

Bellydancer

Latin dancer, Latin dance instructor

Leader

Honest

Loyal

Extrovert 

Homebody

Hard worker

A chocolate lover

 I accepted who I am, and I will carry this on  to my youth space. I normally tend to work in Urban settings. When I worked in a youth space I introduced myself as Dominican and Spanish speaker. Once I share who I am I believe there is a bond and a connection between the students and I.