In this chapter, the author starts with her own story as a Latina immigrant and educator exploring firsthand her cultural experience. Then a brief introduction ensues about the current socio-political climate and the new call to equity in education by the federal government as well as changes in demographics in our schools. A historical review on education follows, critical to highlight the trends of exclusion and integration, or lack thereof, for diverse populations in the United States. After a literature review of culture and education, the researcher will identify the most important points to keep in mind when designing learning for our students so we can ensure fairness and equity as well as nurture students' identities. This trilogy of a personal testimonio, literature review, and research on best educational practices will provide some guidance in the way we can help our students thrive, become confident learners, and learn how to contribute to their communities as they form their identities.
TopMy Story
My own journey was one that started with the perfect story and the perfect immigration story. I grew up in Lima, Peru in a middle-class family. I was the oldest girl in a family of six children. I went to a great public school and I was successful. You could say I was a schoolgirl. I was at the top of my class and earned a full ride to the university of my choice. I served my community through church and I also worked for my dad with some singing gigs in his recording studio. My mom always supported my education and told me that it was important to earn a degree that would lead to a job so I would not have to depend on a man. I took this seriously. I graduated from high school at 16 and I enrolled in the University of Lima. During my second year, I met my future husband, a foreigner, a US citizen. This world-wind romance ended in us getting married and moving to the USA four months later. I had a residence visa from the start. When I arrived, my world as I knew it, came to an abrupt halt. I had no idea that the cultural differences would be so wide. Although I had post-graduated in English in Peru, I still had a hard time adjusting and understanding new accents, colloquialisms, and slang. My husband was working the night shift and after living in a household with 10 people, I now found myself alone, scared, and with absolutely no support system. Most critical was that my confidence level plummeted. School was no longer a goal. Survival in this new environment was the immediate goal. At that time, I could not call my family for support. It was very expensive to call. We had no Skype, WhatsApp or FaceTime. On top of that, people made a lot of assumptions about me. They continually put me in the Hispanic Box, a very confining and ugly box. I had always felt I was a Latina, but the box they put me in was not aligned to me and my experiences, and most importantly my assets. Since my husband is Anglo, the assumptions were even worse. “I always wanted to come to the states and that is why I married him”, “I probably didn’t go to school, since I didn’t speak English well”, “I was Mexican.” So many more assumptions. The Post-immigration period was extremely traumatizing. I had my husband, but he didn’t understand me fully either. Let’s face it. Being married was a new experience too! He didn’t know my culture deeply, what I needed, or how he could help me adjust. He was willing but unable. So seeing me deeply depressed, after five months here, he sent me back to Peru, for three weeks or more if I decided to stay. I came back with a renewed sense of who I was and I loved my husband, so I decided to make things work and do my best as a wife and partner. I still suffered from culture shock but I immersed myself in supporting him and being a good wife. I played a role that was familiar to me, seeing my mom and my tias, but it was not the role I had always dreamed of. My married life was only part of that dream.