US schools have come a long way since desegregated but they still have a long
desegregated but they still have a long
desegregated but they still have a long way to go especially as it relates to
way to go especially as it relates to
way to go especially as it relates to language equity and opportunities for
language equity and opportunities for
language equity and opportunities for students in public schools it’s
students in public schools it’s
students in public schools it’s estimated that by 2020 one out of every
estimated that by 2020 one out of every
estimated that by 2020 one out of every four students in US schools will be
four students in US schools will be
four students in US schools will be Latino and this presents an opportunity
Latino and this presents an opportunity
Latino and this presents an opportunity to build on the rich cultural heritage
to build on the rich cultural heritage
to build on the rich cultural heritage of these students and they build on
of these students and they build on
of these students and they build on their rich heritage language in order to
their rich heritage language in order to
their rich heritage language in order to make more equitable experiences not only
make more equitable experiences not only
make more equitable experiences not only for them but higher quality educational
for them but higher quality educational
for them but higher quality educational experiences for all students I was born
experiences for all students I was born
experiences for all students I was born in El Paso Texas and grew up in Corpus
in El Paso Texas and grew up in Corpus
in El Paso Texas and grew up in Corpus Christi Texas and in this region all of
Christi Texas and in this region all of
Christi Texas and in this region all of this territory was once Mexico and
this territory was once Mexico and
this territory was once Mexico and people of Mexican heritage will proudly
people of Mexican heritage will proudly
people of Mexican heritage will proudly tell you that they did not cross the
tell you that they did not cross the
tell you that they did not cross the border the border crossed them this land
border the border crossed them this land
border the border crossed them this land became part of the United States after
became part of the United States after
became part of the United States after the mexican-american war
the mexican-american war
the mexican-american war my grandma Simona was born in 1915 and
my grandma Simona was born in 1915 and
my grandma Simona was born in 1915 and she attended Mexican schools and most of
she attended Mexican schools and most of
she attended Mexican schools and most of her life she spoke only Spanish I was
her life she spoke only Spanish I was
her life she spoke only Spanish I was born in 1971 and went to school in South
born in 1971 and went to school in South
born in 1971 and went to school in South Texas and most of my life I only spoke
Texas and most of my life I only spoke
Texas and most of my life I only spoke English following the end of slavery in
English following the end of slavery in
English following the end of slavery in Texas Mexicans experienced much of the
Texas Mexicans experienced much of the
Texas Mexicans experienced much of the same discrimination as blacks under Jim
same discrimination as blacks under Jim
same discrimination as blacks under Jim Crow law same loss of Liberty same loss
Crow law same loss of Liberty same loss
Crow law same loss of Liberty same loss of life in one of the biggest ranches in
of life in one of the biggest ranches in
of life in one of the biggest ranches in Texas over 800,000 acres it said that
Texas over 800,000 acres it said that
Texas over 800,000 acres it said that there’s a mesquite tree for every
there’s a mesquite tree for every
there’s a mesquite tree for every Mexican that was lynched there and my
Mexican that was lynched there and my
Mexican that was lynched there and my grandmother ends up attending a Mexican
grandmother ends up attending a Mexican
grandmother ends up attending a Mexican school until the third grade when then
school until the third grade when then
school until the third grade when then she is forced to help support her family
she is forced to help support her family
she is forced to help support her family and work and these Mexican schools were
and work and these Mexican schools were
and work and these Mexican schools were notorious for providing an inferior
notorious for providing an inferior
notorious for providing an inferior education oftentimes poor facilities
education oftentimes poor facilities
education oftentimes poor facilities poorly resourced but my grandmother
poorly resourced but my grandmother
poorly resourced but my grandmother really internalized that as somehow her
really internalized that as somehow her
really internalized that as somehow her own fault she said to me when I was
own fault she said to me when I was
own fault she said to me when I was young she said it’s gay time we boutta
young she said it’s gay time we boutta
young she said it’s gay time we boutta mija
mija
mija nobody up and dead in glass the reality
nobody up and dead in glass the reality
nobody up and dead in glass the reality was she was denied schooling because she
was she was denied schooling because she
was she was denied schooling because she didn’t speak English and this doesn’t
didn’t speak English and this doesn’t
didn’t speak English and this doesn’t really come into question until 1947
really come into question until 1947
really come into question until 1947 with the case of Mendez versus
with the case of Mendez versus
with the case of Mendez versus Westminster this is when they finally
Westminster this is when they finally
Westminster this is when they finally begin thinking about the rights of
begin thinking about the rights of
begin thinking about the rights of Mexican students in schools and in this
Mexican students in schools and in this
Mexican students in schools and in this case the federal court ruled that the
case the federal court ruled that the
case the federal court ruled that the separation of Mexican students into
separation of Mexican students into
separation of Mexican students into remedial Mexican schools was both
remedial Mexican schools was both
remedial Mexican schools was both unlawful and unconstitutional and this
unlawful and unconstitutional and this
unlawful and unconstitutional and this is a really important court case because
is a really important court case because
is a really important court case because it lays the groundwork for Brown versus
it lays the groundwork for Brown versus
it lays the groundwork for Brown versus the Board of Education and in fact the
the Board of Education and in fact the
the Board of Education and in fact the n-double-a-cp had joined this case
n-double-a-cp had joined this case
n-double-a-cp had joined this case represented by Thurgood Marshall and he
represented by Thurgood Marshall and he
represented by Thurgood Marshall and he goes on of course to represent the
goes on of course to represent the
goes on of course to represent the n-double-a-cp again in Brown versus
n-double-a-cp again in Brown versus
n-double-a-cp again in Brown versus brown versus board of education which
brown versus board of education which
brown versus board of education which desegregate s– all schools right in the
desegregate s– all schools right in the
desegregate s– all schools right in the United States despite you know
United States despite you know
United States despite you know desegregation my family really struggled
desegregation my family really struggled
desegregation my family really struggled in school to understand that even after
in school to understand that even after
in school to understand that even after desegregation Mexican students still
desegregation Mexican students still
desegregation Mexican students still suffered from language discrimination
suffered from language discrimination
suffered from language discrimination students were punished for speaking
students were punished for speaking
students were punished for speaking Spanish in school sometimes they were
Spanish in school sometimes they were
Spanish in school sometimes they were classified as learning disabled if they
classified as learning disabled if they
classified as learning disabled if they couldn’t learn English my own parents
couldn’t learn English my own parents
couldn’t learn English my own parents were spanked for speaking Spanish in
were spanked for speaking Spanish in
were spanked for speaking Spanish in school and they were brilliant people
school and they were brilliant people
school and they were brilliant people but school was not a very safe place but
but school was not a very safe place but
but school was not a very safe place but my mother almost dropped out of high
my mother almost dropped out of high
my mother almost dropped out of high school and my father even as an English
school and my father even as an English
school and my father even as an English Learner managed to graduate from high
Learner managed to graduate from high
Learner managed to graduate from high school but didn’t really see a future
school but didn’t really see a future
school but didn’t really see a future for himself in higher education he
for himself in higher education he
for himself in higher education he decided instead to enlist in the Navy
decided instead to enlist in the Navy
decided instead to enlist in the Navy during the Vietnam War and he felt it
during the Vietnam War and he felt it
during the Vietnam War and he felt it was both his rite of passage as a man
was both his rite of passage as a man
was both his rite of passage as a man but he also understood it to be his duty
but he also understood it to be his duty
but he also understood it to be his duty as a US citizen he returns to a country
as a US citizen he returns to a country
as a US citizen he returns to a country after his tour of duty that is
after his tour of duty that is
after his tour of duty that is completely steeped an anti-war protest
completely steeped an anti-war protest
completely steeped an anti-war protest and two organizations that are still
and two organizations that are still
and two organizations that are still largely discriminatory against Mexicans
largely discriminatory against Mexicans
largely discriminatory against Mexicans and in 1971 when my parents have me they
and in 1971 when my parents have me they
and in 1971 when my parents have me they make a decision they decided that they
make a decision they decided that they
make a decision they decided that they were not going to teach me Spanish they
were not going to teach me Spanish they
were not going to teach me Spanish they did this really because of the
did this really because of the
did this really because of the humiliation and discrimination they
humiliation and discrimination they
humiliation and discrimination they faced in schools they suffered and did
faced in schools they suffered and did
faced in schools they suffered and did not want me to suffer by the time I’m in
not want me to suffer by the time I’m in
not want me to suffer by the time I’m in high school
high school
high school Brown versus the Board of Education is
Brown versus the Board of Education is
Brown versus the Board of Education is already 30 years old but still I happen
already 30 years old but still I happen
already 30 years old but still I happen to go to high school that’s almost
to go to high school that’s almost
to go to high school that’s almost entirely African American and black
entirely African American and black
entirely African American and black students from poor and working-class
students from poor and working-class
students from poor and working-class families and even within that schooling
families and even within that schooling
families and even within that schooling system there were stratifications
system there were stratifications
system there were stratifications segregation based on language and
segregation based on language and
segregation based on language and language
language
language position if you spoke standard academic
position if you spoke standard academic
position if you spoke standard academic English you might find yourself at the
English you might find yourself at the
English you might find yourself at the top of that stratification if you were
top of that stratification if you were
top of that stratification if you were an average student of language arts you
an average student of language arts you
an average student of language arts you found yourself somewhere in the middle
found yourself somewhere in the middle
found yourself somewhere in the middle but if you were a speaker of Spanish as
but if you were a speaker of Spanish as
but if you were a speaker of Spanish as your first language or you were limited
your first language or you were limited
your first language or you were limited on your English proficiency you were
on your English proficiency you were
on your English proficiency you were almost entirely segregated from the rest
almost entirely segregated from the rest
almost entirely segregated from the rest of the school population I was lucky
of the school population I was lucky
of the school population I was lucky enough to find myself at the top of that
enough to find myself at the top of that
enough to find myself at the top of that stratification I was an honours student
stratification I was an honours student
stratification I was an honours student I was a student who was easy to teach
I was a student who was easy to teach
I was a student who was easy to teach for whatever background knowledge me and
for whatever background knowledge me and
for whatever background knowledge me and my peers had we were regarded as
my peers had we were regarded as
my peers had we were regarded as intelligent and this intelligence then
intelligent and this intelligence then
intelligent and this intelligence then entitled you to more more challenged
entitled you to more more challenged
entitled you to more more challenged higher expectations and more help from
higher expectations and more help from
higher expectations and more help from your teachers because they believed
your teachers because they believed
your teachers because they believed strongly that we might actually have a
strongly that we might actually have a
strongly that we might actually have a chance to get into college and it
chance to get into college and it
chance to get into college and it continued a kind of inequity in schools
continued a kind of inequity in schools
continued a kind of inequity in schools those of us who were able to get a more
those of us who were able to get a more
those of us who were able to get a more quality education than others and this
quality education than others and this
quality education than others and this is not default my teachers they were
is not default my teachers they were
is not default my teachers they were amazing they shined on us they nodded to
amazing they shined on us they nodded to
amazing they shined on us they nodded to us you are special you are different the
us you are special you are different the
us you are special you are different the fault really was with a system that
fault really was with a system that
fault really was with a system that determined upon whom they would shine
determined upon whom they would shine
determined upon whom they would shine and for what purpose I was accepted to
and for what purpose I was accepted to
and for what purpose I was accepted to Georgetown University and graduated here
Georgetown University and graduated here
Georgetown University and graduated here in Washington DC and that’s when my
in Washington DC and that’s when my
in Washington DC and that’s when my entire world turned upside down first of
entire world turned upside down first of
entire world turned upside down first of all I was no longer an honors student I
all I was no longer an honors student I
all I was no longer an honors student I was a struggling student I really it was
was a struggling student I really it was
was a struggling student I really it was hard for me to keep up with the volume
hard for me to keep up with the volume
hard for me to keep up with the volume of reading that we had my professors
of reading that we had my professors
of reading that we had my professors said I had inferior writing skills this
said I had inferior writing skills this
said I had inferior writing skills this from a kid who made all A’s in high
from a kid who made all A’s in high
from a kid who made all A’s in high school and I really struggled every
school and I really struggled every
school and I really struggled every single day especially because when
single day especially because when
single day especially because when you’re the first person in your family
you’re the first person in your family
you’re the first person in your family to go to college you’re not just failing
to go to college you’re not just failing
to go to college you’re not just failing yourself you’re feeling everyone in your
yourself you’re feeling everyone in your
yourself you’re feeling everyone in your family who couldn’t go your uncle’s your
family who couldn’t go your uncle’s your
family who couldn’t go your uncle’s your aunt’s your parents and your
aunt’s your parents and your
aunt’s your parents and your grandparents who were only schooled into
grandparents who were only schooled into
grandparents who were only schooled into grammar school but the second rude
grammar school but the second rude
grammar school but the second rude awakening was the status of language in
awakening was the status of language in
awakening was the status of language in this new environment I was surrounded by
this new environment I was surrounded by
this new environment I was surrounded by international students students who
international students students who
international students students who their entire lives had spoken a language
their entire lives had spoken a language
their entire lives had spoken a language other than English and they seemed
other than English and they seemed
other than English and they seemed emboldened by that ability they were
emboldened by that ability they were
emboldened by that ability they were considered talented for it even u.s.
considered talented for it even u.s.
considered talented for it even u.s. students had gone to schools of
students had gone to schools of
students had gone to schools of immersion to learn
immersion to learn
immersion to learn in Spanish and this while people in my
in Spanish and this while people in my
in Spanish and this while people in my own community poor and brown children
own community poor and brown children
own community poor and brown children were either stripped of their heritage
were either stripped of their heritage
were either stripped of their heritage language or demoted socially and
language or demoted socially and
language or demoted socially and academically for speaking it in this
academically for speaking it in this
academically for speaking it in this kind of lit a fire under me I really had
kind of lit a fire under me I really had
kind of lit a fire under me I really had to ask why like why were we ever
to ask why like why were we ever
to ask why like why were we ever separated in the first place and what
separated in the first place and what
separated in the first place and what could I do about it
could I do about it
could I do about it I think I became an educator largely in
I think I became an educator largely in
I think I became an educator largely in part due to this experience and in my
part due to this experience and in my
part due to this experience and in my experience I decided that I was going to
experience I decided that I was going to
experience I decided that I was going to be a public school teacher and in those
be a public school teacher and in those
be a public school teacher and in those first years I was really haunted by
first years I was really haunted by
first years I was really haunted by several questions and those were why
several questions and those were why
several questions and those were why don’t we not only think that all
don’t we not only think that all
don’t we not only think that all students can learn at high levels but
students can learn at high levels but
students can learn at high levels but that they can do that at more complex
that they can do that at more complex
that they can do that at more complex levels right if they’re together rather
levels right if they’re together rather
levels right if they’re together rather than separated and secondly why can’t we
than separated and secondly why can’t we
than separated and secondly why can’t we use the rich culture and heritage of
use the rich culture and heritage of
use the rich culture and heritage of students and build upon it for higher
students and build upon it for higher
students and build upon it for higher you know results when I had my own child
you know results when I had my own child
you know results when I had my own child I also decided that I was going to teach
I also decided that I was going to teach
I also decided that I was going to teach him in English and in Spanish I am now
him in English and in Spanish I am now
him in English and in Spanish I am now the founding principle of mundo vetted a
the founding principle of mundo vetted a
the founding principle of mundo vetted a bilingual public charter school and we
bilingual public charter school and we
bilingual public charter school and we are a community of over 500 students
are a community of over 500 students
are a community of over 500 students we’re considered one of the most diverse
we’re considered one of the most diverse
we’re considered one of the most diverse schools in Washington DC and students
schools in Washington DC and students
schools in Washington DC and students are engaged in learning and fun but
are engaged in learning and fun but
are engaged in learning and fun but demanding ways they do lots of research
demanding ways they do lots of research
demanding ways they do lots of research and inquiry they investigate essential
and inquiry they investigate essential
and inquiry they investigate essential questions and they consult with experts
questions and they consult with experts
questions and they consult with experts in the field in order to learn as much
in the field in order to learn as much
in the field in order to learn as much as they can and they express their
as they can and they express their
as they can and they express their learning in beautiful ways outside of
learning in beautiful ways outside of
learning in beautiful ways outside of the school to the larger community and
the school to the larger community and
the school to the larger community and they do this in English and in Spanish
they do this in English and in Spanish
they do this in English and in Spanish it’s really been years in the making as
it’s really been years in the making as
it’s really been years in the making as an educator but when I think about my
an educator but when I think about my
an educator but when I think about my grandmother it’s been over a century in
grandmother it’s been over a century in
grandmother it’s been over a century in the making
the making
the making I had possibly what was one of the
I had possibly what was one of the
I had possibly what was one of the longest conversations I ever had with my
longest conversations I ever had with my
longest conversations I ever had with my grandmother right before she passed this
grandmother right before she passed this
grandmother right before she passed this because I had finally mastered Spanish
because I had finally mastered Spanish
because I had finally mastered Spanish and in that conversation she told me
and in that conversation she told me
and in that conversation she told me about the Mexican schools and she told
about the Mexican schools and she told
about the Mexican schools and she told me about our heritage and our heritage
me about our heritage and our heritage
me about our heritage and our heritage and really it was the first time I
and really it was the first time I
and really it was the first time I understood right the struggle that she
understood right the struggle that she
understood right the struggle that she had been through I really hope that she
had been through I really hope that she
had been through I really hope that she and my mother and father and all our
and my mother and father and all our
and my mother and father and all our ancestors shined down on this work at
ancestors shined down on this work at
ancestors shined down on this work at mundo Vetta
mundo Vetta
mundo Vetta really helping us to
really helping us to
really helping us to creating learning environments that
creating learning environments that
creating learning environments that build strong ties between students that
build strong ties between students that
build strong ties between students that build upon the empathy that’s part of
build upon the empathy that’s part of
build upon the empathy that’s part of our core curriculum at mundo Vetter that
our core curriculum at mundo Vetter that
our core curriculum at mundo Vetter that really gives students the opportunity to
really gives students the opportunity to
really gives students the opportunity to shine and creates less divide in schools
shine and creates less divide in schools
shine and creates less divide in schools and more unity thank you
and more unity thank you
and more unity thank you [Applause]
”
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