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As a Latino immigrant, I grew up in a verbal abusive household. I didn’t have role models growing up who looked like me. I learned quite young that education was the key to break that cycle.
This isn’t a critique of the love of my parents but a reality of my growing up. https://twitter.com/JohnHMcWhorter/status/1199802906809110530">https://twitter.com/JohnHMcWh...
As a Latino immigrant, I grew up in a verbal abusive household. I didn’t have role models growing up who looked like me. I learned quite young that education was the key to break that cycle.
This isn’t a critique of the love of my parents but a reality of my growing up. https://twitter.com/JohnHMcWhorter/status/1199802906809110530">https://twitter.com/JohnHMcWh...
When my parents separated, my mother became a single parent for a time. I developed a love of education & immersed myself in classes that developed my love for the arts; band, chorus, dance as a way to stay in school away from my household problems.
I developed male mentors.
I developed male mentors.
Dr. Richardson (Black) became a father figure for me. He helped me develop critical thinking by reading music through my instruments the clarinet, alto clarinet, & bass clarinet.
He was quite involved my character development outside of class & band.
He was quite involved my character development outside of class & band.
During high school Dr. Lapham became my father figure & mentor as well as the one who I credit for my love of American history.
At one point he assumed I had parents who were “lawyers” because of how I comported myself in class & how I dressed in class as a preppy kid.
At one point he assumed I had parents who were “lawyers” because of how I comported myself in class & how I dressed in class as a preppy kid.
Much to his surprise when I told him I had parents weren’t even educated pass high school back in their country.
He took it upon himself to give me outside reading material from class & research papers.
I learned how to write college research papers because of Dr. Lapham.
He took it upon himself to give me outside reading material from class & research papers.
I learned how to write college research papers because of Dr. Lapham.
My experience is not indicative of all latino immigrants, but it is a truth that I succeeded because of luck & because I had to learn quite young to mature & become a man in my family.
So when @PeteButtigieg in full context stated what he did, he was right.
So when @PeteButtigieg in full context stated what he did, he was right.
During my high school years my folks got back together & my relationship with my dad improved after I graduated college & commissioned as an army officer.
But growing up I didn’t see people like me to incentives me to want to succeed in education.
But growing up I didn’t see people like me to incentives me to want to succeed in education.
It was a combination of luck, maturing at a young age, & recognizing that education was for me an escape away from home but also a way to break the cycle I saw in my family.
Most of the teachers that became mentors it was because I had to open up about my struggles at home.
Most of the teachers that became mentors it was because I had to open up about my struggles at home.
I credit my successes whether it was scholarships & acceptances at universities to my teachers both men & women of different minorities.
Mrs. Smith (Black) 4th grade who taught me about African American history & how the Democratic Party became the civil rights party.
Mrs. Smith (Black) 4th grade who taught me about African American history & how the Democratic Party became the civil rights party.
Mrs. Willis (White) 9th grade teacher who developed my critical thinking on books.
Mrs. Eastham (Jewish) 11th grade who taught me about antisemitism with books like Anne Frank, A Boy, etc
Dr. Lapham (White) 9th grade who taught me about American history & much more.
Mrs. Eastham (Jewish) 11th grade who taught me about antisemitism with books like Anne Frank, A Boy, etc
Dr. Lapham (White) 9th grade who taught me about American history & much more.
Dr. Richardson (Black) music teacher all through middle school. Who told my mom that I had a gift for music & a maturity level that most kids yet don’t develop which required stimulation.
Dr. Shaheen, all through my community college at miami-dade taught me about politics & being unbiased & critically thinking on questioning both sides of ideology to discern the right answers about governance. Ironically he was a student of Dr. Lapham in high school.
What I’m trying to convey is that the full context of @PeteButtigieg on education & role models is true in so far as it is part of a larger point. That we need to invest in public schools with teachers that look like us. Diversity is much a key ingredient to the success of kids.
Every time @PeteButtigieg is being attacked it seems it’s always out of context or snippets. Whether it is at tea party group or this round table on the conversation of minorities in education. He actually does get it, he actually is nuanced, but you have to be open to listen.
Personally, @PeteButtigieg reminds me of my mentors & father figures growing up. Someone who cares by taking the time to listen & understanding the situation then acting upon it with plans that try to address the different roots of the causes. All his plans do this.
