I’m Passionate About..

Educating First Generation Students..

I was a first-generation college student and the first in my family to go on to earn a PhD. The reality is that without support from others, I wouldn’t be to where I am today and it is important to me to give opportunities to others like I received. There are many unique nuances to being a first generation student that some people don’t understand. It is my job to help students overcome obstacles but also to educate others how to better serve this population of students.

Teaching the importance of diversity…

At 22, when I started teaching High School English in downtown Brooklyn, New York, I thought I had been exposed to multiple cultures as I grew up on the south side of Indianapolis, IN. Little did I know, there was a lot that I didn’t know. Learning about other cultures through conversations, immersion opportunities, and travel is one of my biggest passions. My husband and I built our family through adoption and are now a transracial family.  It is a personal goal of mine to educate others to learn, respect, and understand one another so that my daughter can live in a world where she isn’t judged solely on her race and background.

Community Service…

Volunteering is important to me whether it is participating in a charity event or donating to a worthy cause. I will be capturing some of these experiences in my blog. The organizations that I am most passionate about are: Helpusadopt.org, GlamourGals.org, Shesthefirst.org, and Spoonful of Imagination, where I sit on the board.

Travel…

I am an avid reader and have been since my childhood. Though we didn’t travel a lot when I was younger, in my adulthood, I began to travel and experience other cultures in other states, cities and countries and I haven’t stopped!