In the early 2000s that was Arizona’s answer to supporting second language learners. I had spent 12 years in a variety of training, workshops, and college courses learning about how to support students who did not come from the same culture, socio-economic group, or ethnicity that I did. I loved it! I love learning about diverse cultures and ethnicities. This helped me continue to grow and create a working understanding of the importance of creating inclusive and equity-minded learning environments for all learners. But, considering myself a ‘cultural worker’ never occurred to me until I had to teach others how to be culturally aware, responsive, and equity minded.  

My professional goal is to support educators at all levels and collaborate with them to build a more robust educational system. I am passionate about creating inclusive learning environments that support all learners. When I say ‘ALL’, I mean all learners regardless of age, ability, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, or religion. Education can build bridges and create inclusive and equity-minded environments in our society. Our diversity is our strength, and we should be celebrated for our talents. We are all learners and teachers; even our youngest learners teach us. We can and should learn from our students as much as we hope they learn from us. And that is where I began my equity work. Learning from my students and colleagues. Listening to their experiences and stories without judgment. I learned that to be a cultural worker, I needed to build inclusive learning environments from a foundation of trust, understanding, awareness, and most of all, positive relationships. Students need to know that educators are there to support them not only academically, but also socially and emotionally. This is true at all educational levels. 

When reflecting on your classroom environment, policies, classroom procedures, routines, and even your rituals, critically evaluate them based on inclusive teaching practices and student perspective.