About the Book & Author

Thank you for taking the time to read and look at this book. I am writing this book because I want my students to have a text that explains and demonstrates what we are being asked to do in class (by the people in charge of deciding and judging the appropriateness of what happens in a particular college class), in a way that honors who we each are. I always struggled finding a textbook that aligned with the class and was relevant to Highline College students. In my dreams, this book will make all students feel excited to research, curious about their reading, confident in their writing, and valued for who they are as humans – if not this version of the book, may it happen more and more over time. 

In her 2022 book Fresh Banana Leaves: Healing Indigenous Landscapes through Indigenous Science, activist scholar Jessica Hernandez explains that “Most of the scholarship and literature is written about us [indigenous people] and not by us” (239). And it’s true, not only for indigenous peoples. Academic writing is very exclusive, as in it excludes Others, and their ways of knowing and valuing. For those who are now triggered to say “Why do they have to make everything about race?”… it’s not just about race, it’s also about class, income, gender, and much more. I worked, often full-time, throughout my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees and that made succeeding in school much harder. But now having been a student, a tutor, a K-12 substitute teacher, a part-time college professor, and a full-time tenured college professor; I see how the structures and systems of schools are often the barriers themselves. I share my own experiences and perspectives because it’s important to recognize all of the different humans we are.

I was a student in the United States from pre-school through graduate school. When I entered pre-school, I didn’t even speak English yet. I faced several struggles early on, but ultimately did really well and enrolled in honors courses. I had a hard time again when I was in college and was almost expelled because I failed so many classes. Through a lot of effort, I eventually improved and became a successful student. I still graduated early and even continued my education towards becoming a professor. This fulfilled my dream of attaining a job with a flexible schedule and a consistent paycheck. I chose to become an English professor because it is an opportunity to teach from the perspective of a student that almost didn’t make it. I hoped to support students have a better educational experience and more students achieving their degree goals. I also have a hope to share my love of learning and exchanging ideas through writing, research, learning, and connecting with others.