ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
WITH IMMENSE GRATITUDE & LOVE
I am ni de aqui, ni de alla - a Xicanx, 1st gen college grad, healer and educator. I exist in a borderlands of reality - neither here or there, striving, existing, and resisting. I am a product of my rich Mexican culture, the sacrifices, prayers, dreams, resilience, and healing of my ancestors, those named and unnamed, and all those that will come after me. Who I am has shaped how I see the world and the interconnectedness that binds each of us together. This journey has brought me to right here and now, on the shoulders of the giants that have formed me.
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I dedicate this section and my life's work to my beloved familia, my friends that have become family, and the mentors that have shaped me along this journey. Thank you for being my grounding space of love and hope. Thank you for providing me with strength and guidance. All that I am, for all of us. Fuerza!
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To Marion,
My life partner, you have been my light, and my greatest encourager. You have seen my potential when it was hard to see it in myself. You have been my safe space, a place of reassurance and joy. Our love is sacred and I feel so blessed to be able to journey this life with you. Thank you for helping me to stay focused, eyes on the prize, with deep belief in my abilities. I love you endlessly. Here's to forever and then some.
To My Family,
Where to begin? My heart aches with gratitude, love, and grief. My educational career has been made possible from the sacrifices and support you all have given me. In our grief of losing Julian, you have each encouraged me to heal by doing something for myself and my future. I would not be here without your encouragement and unconditional support, near and from afar. You are my heart. Thank you for reminding me to breathe, and for showing me what resiliency looks like. You are my hope. Fuerza!
To Derek Sparks,
In memory of my mentor and friend, Derek. This space of learning is dedicated to your legacy of justice and belonging. In my time serving alongside you, you taught me so much about leadership and cultivating a culture of radical love and care. Your memory and light shine in my everyday. Thank you for transforming my life, friend.
To My Students,
I spend time with my students more than anyone else. Their joy has been a reminder of hope and a light towards the future. My students, past, present, and future, are my motivation and inspiration on the path forward. I am the educator practitioner I am today because of the kinship I have shared with these young people. They are my greatest teachers. I am grateful to be formed by their wisdom.