About me

I am a lifelong learner. I am proud of my upbringing and remember where I came from.

My path to becoming an educator here in the United States is an improbable story. Although I had never dreamed of becoming a teacher during my childhood, my story begins in a small, dust-filled classroom, adjacent to the main Kindergarten classroom, where all of my classmates gathered each morning. As my peers happily waltzed into their classes, prepared for morning circle, I couldn't stop the tears from streaming down my face as I desperately tried to understand the "foreign" language that now surrounded me.

I am persistent in reaching my goals. I am driven to learn from others and share our collective wisdom to benefit anyone who seeks it.

Much has changed since 1996, but the feelings of ineptitude and the fear of failure have always permeated throughout my life. Even with each newfound "success" and some renewed faith I gained after each project or experience, I still felt deep down inside that I was an imposter. I felt like someone who truly doesn't belong in this world. Is this a reflection of the educational inequities that continue to inflict harm on all of our young students today?

These are the feelings that motivate me to help each student I encounter, whether it be in-person, virtually online, or through a series of pre-recorded videos (thanks COVID...), towards a path that is healthier, more optimistic, and engaging way as they go through the learning process.

I am an educator who is passionate and constantly driven to expand the ways in which we provide access to knowledge, skills, and resources to children, in order to create a more inclusive and equitable world.

As I enter any classroom, community center, or private studio, I always remind myself to think back to a time when I was in the student's shoes. About what it feels like to not know or understand a concept, and be faced with the incredibly challenging task of working with the unknown. Whether we are an adult, a teenager, a child, or an infant, we all seek encouragement and empathy from our mentors as we learn. This is the key to the affirmation we often seek, in order to build the need to feel motivated and engaged.

I am a friend who enjoys building camaraderie with everyone.

I have found that being an only child particularly coming from an immigrant family, is a lonely life. I remember as a child always wanting to have at least one sibling to play with 24/7 and to be able to seek out advice when I truly needed it the most. I have been lucky to fill this void by cultivating deep and lasting friendships with those who I have encountered throughout my life. To them, I am eternally grateful.