MUSICAL BACKGROUND

Successfully working with socially, culturally, linguistically and economically diverse groups means utilizing listening skills, maintaining flexibility, and understanding students’ backgrounds and potential struggles. Throughout my time working with youth at Ceiba College Prep and various youth programs, I have been able to develop and practice these essential skills. In the classroom and beyond, I use listening skills, asking questions and listening with empathy, curiosity and without judgement. I am able to practice flexibility by giving students appropriate accommodations and even changing methods mid-lesson if I see students need a different approach. My ability to understand students’ backgrounds and struggles comes from my attentiveness in the classroom as well as my keeping in mind my personal experiences as an underserved youth.

I was raised in an economically disadvantaged home in Bakersfield, California with divorced parents and alternate court-ordered legal guardians. I practice awareness of my race-based privilege along with my childhood struggles with poverty, physical and mental health and trauma. Such experiences help me to empathize with struggling students. I can imagine what students might be going through and remain open to hearing their story if they wish to share while encouraging them to utilize available tools and providing accommodations and additional support. I also try to stay aware of how my upbringing might be different and seek new skills and ways to help students in need. One such difference is my current students’ lack of access to performing arts programs. As a youth, I found safety in arts and writing. Luckily, in many ways, ELA and the arts go hand in hand, and I hope to provide more opportunities for students to find a place to safely express themselves and build confidence through writing and performing arts.

In social and developmental psychology and feminist studies courses at UC Santa Cruz, I learned about how to better serve culturally and lingustically diverse students. One class focussed on identifying solutions to counter the westernization of public education. Another class, Rainbow Theater, explored culturally diverse plays and helped me realize the eurocentricity of most theater programs. At Ceiba, I organized a trip to Teatro Vision, an organization performing works rooted in Chicanx and Latinx experience. There I saw how theater could allow students to express themselves artistically and emotionally and culturally. Recently, I have strived to mold Ceiba’s Theater Club into a truly collaborative effort, including group discussions and decisions and even working with students to write a musical which allowed them to build socially, culturally, and economically diverse characters in a story of LGBTQ+ history and hope.

I have been able to pick up many skills over the years, as a youth programs facilitator, administrative support specialist, programs coordinator, psychology major, feminist studies student, educator and more, but know there is always more to learn. Currently, I am involved with Ceiba’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee which explores how to challenge the status quo and systems of power and privilege and how we can best serve each students’ unique needs. If offered a position at your company, I will work to incorporate my experience and knowledge in research, writing, presentation design, digital media, theater, education and beyond to create and present engaging materials and presentations, provide individualized support, and continue to foster creativity and collaboration while meeting your client or company needs.