The summer after college graduation I interned for a hotel workers union in Los Angeles, Calif. Working with the union completely swept me off my feet. I fell in love with the passion, determination, and strength of the workers, the majority being Latina/o immigrants. I couldn’t believe how the fight to unionize could give someone so much courage; enough courage to walk into management’s office making demands and expecting change. A year after that summer I moved to New York City.
Moving to New York City only became a reality because I was admitted to a program to teach bilingual education, an area I would probably not have been able to teach in California thanks to the English Only movement.
As I began my first year of teaching, I did what I always do — over analyzed. I thought about the parents and families who risk their lives crossing deserts, rivers, and/or oceans to reach the United States; the mythological dreamland of opportunity, freedom, equality, and respect. The “American myth” created by loved ones who preceded them and shared stories about their new lives in dollars, and by the media, like the magazine my mother once saw which led her to envision the United States as a land without trees but rather solely covered with concrete and tall buildings. She was disappointed to find San Fernando Valley green and lined with trees.
Despite the fact the United States has a free education system and federal aid for college, I thought about and questioned the entire system and how it shapes the experiences of people living in the United States. A system that denies federal assistance to undocumented students and has many students going to college full time and simultaneously working full time to pay for school. Students who often have to turn down admissions to top colleges because attending a local school will be more affordable. The children of immigrants, whether first generation US born or recently arrived who are placed in English immersion programs which impose teaching and learning in English and fail to acknowledge the knowledge they bring with them. Other children are placed in so called “bilingual” programs that break legally binding mandates by demanding bilingual teachers not teach in Spanish thanks to the No Child Left Behind Act and its impact on accountability which resulted in the adoption of English Language Arts and other standardized tests from the 3rd grade on.
I became a bilingual teacher to empower my students. Witnessing the transformation of unionized workers gave me hope in the future of our society; the young minds and hearts eager to learn; children of parents who left everything behind to give their children a better opportunity; and the possibility to agitate, educate, and organize communities.
I became a bilingual teacher to contribute to the struggle of fighting a system that aims to weed out students of color in order to maintain the status quo. A system that will claim a lack of parental involvement, an inherent violent nature or the need to procreate are reasons the Latina/o community doesn’t succeed in a country that gives them “free education”.
Free does not equate fair, dignified or just.
Such an interesting and insightful post. Thank you. I enjoyed getting to know more about you. It was interesting to read about your mum’s early expectations of the US.
I come from a long line of trade unionists. My paternal grandfather, bless him, was regularly on strike. I appreciate the values that were handed down to me, along with the tales of workers’ struggles for decent pay and conditions.
I am not familiar with the No Child Left Behind legislation, but I am reminded of indigenous Australians’ struggles to retain their heritage and languages in a ‘white’ school system.
Very interesting. I did not know this. It is sad to hear what you have written and I actually know some things about this as I worked with my Mexican’s 300 kms south of Nogales who told me of similar things. They also said after 911 the US became more xenophobic and most of my Mexican co worker, some who were only a few months old when they left Mexico to live in the US were deported after living there (they were in there 30s) some small incidents like traffic fines etc I guess a downturn in employment may also have been a reason. I would love to become a bilingual teacher but my second language is German
…. Here in Australia people do get treated okay, although there is a massive gap between health and life expectancy of the indigenous people. Enséñame algo de español, por favor 
Why were you in Mexico Thomas?
I’ve never been too Australia or too much about the history of the indigenous people there, but now that both you and Ally have mentioned it I am interested in knowing more. Got any book recommendations?
Que quieres que te enseñe en español? Cuando tiempo viviste en Mexico?
Hi I was in Mexico working on a Gold Mine. I really enjoyed my time there and the Mexican co-workers were very friendly and relaxed (my type of people) they were all hospitable toward me. I had to learn some Spanish because I was working with roughly 30 co-workers who had only a few words of English. I felt that the Mexican people are slight oppressed by the US to be honest. It seems that as long as the US can use them them they will, but when they dont they treat them pretty bad. I am learning Italian and Spanish at the moment and really enjoy it. Latin Spanish for me is easier to learn than classical Spanish. I learned some slang maybe..que onda instead of buenos días
many other things which obviously start with the swear words… I am fluent in German so that’s how I started learning the language there.. pretty bad I know….. On the subject of the indigenous people of Australia or Aboriginal people sadly there is a dark history in Australia’s history.. I remember (I actually am from Scotland originally, although I grew up in Hong Kong, Singapore etc list too long) my Mum telling me about an Aboriginal lady called Trugannini Here is the wiki link and her story is sad to read.. Tasmania is an island at the bottom of Australia which where she was from.. All of the aboriginal people were shot dead or sold as slaves (1843) .. Trugannini stood up to the government and fought back.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truganini
Thomas
Truganini was one of the last full blood Aboriginal Tasmanian.. like I said most were murdered.. it was a genocide to be honest… then there are the lost generation… also the life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the difference in life expectancy for males (67.2 years) and females (72.9 years) reflects the situation for the non-Indigenous people, with higher life expectancy for females (82.6 years) than for males (78.7 years).
It is maybe typical of many indigenous people around the world… Sorry I have written a lot… have a good day/night…
Me gustaría que vivía más cerca y enséñame españoles
HI ally. Thank you. I wrote this a few years ago when I first started teaching and was having a really hard time.
No Child Left Behind was a law George Bush (the son) implemented that basically raised accountability and pushed for high stakes testing. Schools have become places where learning = passing 3 long days test in english and 3 long days test in math for kids in elementary school.
I am not too familiar with Australia’s history, but can imagine the struggle of people especially around language.
This world is crazy
“Free does not equate fair, dignified or just.” – awesome post. Thanks for sharing & best of luck w/ inspiring others. I actually am on the path of trying to become a bilingual teacher. We need more people like you in this world who value bilingualism and the fight to preserve culture, identity and language.
Evelyn– this comment is extremely kind!! i swear it made my week to read something to touching.
I’m glad there are many of us out there who want to transform little lives one day at a time. good luck to you as well on your journey. i live in nyc, so if you have any bilingual ed/teacher questions i can answer, let me know!!
hope you keep reading!!
Aww, glad I made your week
& thank you, I’ll def keep reading @ keep you in mind if I have any questions pertaining to teaching. I was actually refreshed to see a page like yours, it felt good to see a few others value bilingualism. I came across a few good posts/blogs.