Born and raised in the U.S.-Mexico border of Ciudad Juarez and El Paso, Texas., Dr. Diaz's passion for pedagogy and teaching is rooted in the futurist narratives, in the manifestation of 'how we became, who we are, and who will we be' as a creative and critical approach in nurturing inclusivity. Dr. Diaz’s research explores the intricate difficulties of first-generational hybrid (Indigenous) identities and the challenges of first-generation college students in surviving the impact of self-defeating internal dialogues (termed as discrepancy narratives) in higher education. His scholarly work and teaching have created an important bridge between intersectional identities, first-year success, and culturally compassionate (communal) pedagogy.
When Dr. Diaz is out of the office, he spends most of his time cooking and exploring savory flavor profiles; loves to talk about 90s/2000s (post) punk pop culture and will never say no to dancing Cumbias.