I chose this image because it has personal meaning to me. As the daughter and granddaughter of Mexican immigrants, I watched them sacrifice so I could have more than they ever did. I am now an educator with a passion for respecting the needs of all students and their cultures, because of what they modeled for me. I am where I am today because of their sacrifices and love for me.

Life was not easy for them. They were shy to speak to the teachers and school administrators and were unable to attend many school functions due to their work and hesitancy with speaking the English language correctly. There was not a large hispanic population where I grew up and it seemed that my grandparents and older family members struggled to feel accepted by the small rural community.

They worked very hard to make sure I attended college, traveled the world, and that I had many diverse experiences. They wanted me to succeed in accomplishing all my dreams.