It was important for me to use my education in the service of others, and from an early age, I idolized my English teachers for their wisdom, ease at explaining difficult concepts, and joyful lives spent examining the hard questions of love and life through stories and poems, novels and plays. I joined Teach For America after graduating college because I was acutely aware of my privileges as a student who had experienced tremendous teaching and that not being true for every student in America.

Bringing artists, politicians, and authors into my class has been memorable, but experiential learning has always been paramount. In 2004, on our trip to Chicago, my students visited the set of Film Critic Roger Ebert’s TV show At The Movies and spoke with him for an full hour! Watching Roger Ebert ask my student Javier for an impromptu report on his life (and seeing Javier rise to the moment and deliver!) was one of the most satisfying, wonderful moments of my career! It was a forever moment.

I would create a Podcasting Studio, helping students craft stories through interviews and discussions, connecting them with several podcasting alums. I would create a college scholarship for seniors in my late father's name, donate to Barrio Dogs which helps the East End through raising awareness about proper animal care, and hire a food truck from Wokker to serve an amazing melding of Asian dishes and Southern Cooking for our hard-working staff! And, bring my mom and kids to Hawaii!