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John Lucas Alvarado

Dr. Gena Lew Gong

Diversity in the U.S

December 10, 2021

Personal Diversity Statement

Growing up, I was raised in a different household from anyone else I knew at the time. I

was able to experience the advantages and looks that people from different ethnic groups would

experience. My father grew up a field worker, same as his parents and his ten siblings. He never

had a summer day to enjoy, he would be in the field picking grapes or dumping tomatoes. My

mother and her older sister were raised by their widowed mother. Both of my parents lived

impoverished lives up until they got married. When I was born, my parents moved themselves

and my older sister out of Huron and into what my friends later would call “the white side” of

Hanford. Our parents gave my siblings and I everything they had and didn’t have when they

grew up. Growing up I often found myself in a rather odd position. In school and the

neighborhood, I played and hung around with white kids. Later in school when I started

branching out and seeing other groups, I would try and to get to know them better. I would later

notice the stark differences between my friend groups. The kids I grew up saw me as the most

Mexican person they knew, and my Mexican friends would say I’m “like” Mexican. I hated this,

to be “not really Mexican” was infuriating. I am who I am, that is a young Mexican American

who is just trying to go to school and hang out with different kids in different classes. This is still

a problem that I have to this day and it still irks me to this day. This is why as I pursue my
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teaching career; I will instill a safe learning environment. I want my students to have an

understanding. Understand how they and their classmates are alike and respect how they are

different between each other. I want my students to feel a part of the class, and not just because

they are enrolled in the class. I want them to see their cultures and languages incorporated into

the lessons. In my class, diversity will be used as a window, allowing us to see into new cultures

and beliefs.

This should come as no surprise, people come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, colors,

religions, sexual orientations, etc. The same goes for our students in our schools. Students

shouldn’t have to worry about being “different” because we are all different at the same time. I

want my students to be in an understanding environment, so they may be themselves. Students in

my class will be able to celebrate and respect their own diverse backgrounds, as well as each

other’s. It is important to be in this type of environment because sadly, others do make an impact

of how we see ourselves and each other. The book How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

discusses concepts of racism and proposals for anti-racist individual actions and systemic

changes. In the book Kendi writes, “We are what we see ourselves as, whether what we see

exists or not. We are what people see us as, whether what they see exists or not. What people see

in themselves and others has meaning and manifests itself in ideas and actions and policies, even

if what they are seeing is an illusion.” (Kendi, p. 37) This can and has had a negative effect on

our society because of the system of oppression that it has brought. However, by allowing our

students to be introduced to these cultures and ideas, we can create a community that is closer

than ever before. By exposing students to a diverse range of opinions, thoughts, and cultural

backgrounds, we are encouraging them to be more open minded later in life. This will make
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them open to new ideas and be able to attain a greater comprehension on a topic by taking in

different points of view.

The system of oppression that was mentioned earlier still has a hold on the world we live

in. The major part of this system is the belief that one race or ethnic group is better than the

other. Not only is this downright wrong, it is still a part of our modern world. In David Ikard’s

TED Talk, Ikard mentions a quote. Ikard states, “Toni Morrison said, ‘If, in order for you to be

tall, I have to be on my knees, you have a serious problem.” (David Ikard) The quote means that

the system has held minorities down while allowing whites to keep control the field. That is why

I want to incorporate all ethnicities in my class. I want my students to know that they are on the

same playing field as their classmates. While in my class, students will have the same

opportunities and be treated the same as any other. I will make sure my students’ languages and

cultures are reflected in the materials and lessons. By incorporating the different ethnicities of

the class, I will limit the growth of the system of oppression because these students will get to

know one another and learn that they are equals, that they are not better than each other.

In my class I will establish a sense respect of the different cultures of my students. This is

because diversity is more than just respecting differences, it is also about appreciating and

understanding the varying characteristics of individuals. To do this I will encourage my students

to research and share information about their ethnic background. This will lead to better

interpersonal connections between the students. People may get the wrong Ideas about certain

people because they do not know anything about them or their culture. My best example of this

is myself. In the fifth grade, people wouldn’t invite or play with one of the students of Yemen

decent. As a point of being nice, I asked him somethings about himself and his culture. I didn’t

realize at the time, but he was allowing me a look on the inside. Everyone else in the fifth grade
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thought bad things about this kid that they didn’t know. Although he is no longer a boy in the

fifth grade, that boy is still my friend, and it is because of that relationship we built because we

were able to share things about ourselves.

As a teacher, this is my chance to evoke change for the next generation. The book, “So

You Want to Talk About Race,” by Ijeoma Oluo brings up different topics of race in each chapter

with a new topic. When writing about the topic of checking privilege, Oluo writes, “When we

are willing to check our privilege, we are not only identifying areas where we are perpetuating

oppression, but we are also identifying areas where we have the power and access to change the

systems as a whole.” (Oluo p. 65) The position that I will hold can foster understanding of other

races, religions, sexual orientation, etc. As a teacher, the classroom environment that I create will

affect how tomorrow sounds.

I don’t know what it’s like to be black. The truth is, I don’t know what it’s like to be

treated Mexican. I don’t have any family from Mexico, I’m light complected, I can’t speak

Spanish, people don’t believe me when I say I’m Mexican, if and when they do, it’s always

followed by a series of questions. I had a classmate earlier this semester ask me how I got my

last name because they didn’t think I was Mexican. Discrimination is something that I did not

see when I was young. I didn’t grow up facing the same difficulties that many kids and other

adults did. I also know that others are still going to and will grow up facing these problems that

no kid should have to face. Some of my future students will come up to me and ask me about

these challenges they must go against. I understand that it is extremely important to be a

culturally responsive teacher so I may change how our students learn about each other. I want to

teach my students to be racially and ethnically proud. I want my students to understand where

others are coming from and to have a positive idea of who a person from the other culture is. The
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class my students will have will have a mix of languages and cultures to allow all students to

learn about the different cultures they live with. My class will teach the differences to showcase

them not discourage them. The new cultures that my students will learn about will allow them to

see a diverse range of opinions, thoughts, and cultural backgrounds which will allow them to

grow into an accepting person who can continue this trend.