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I am from pupusas and curtido
from Mr. Clean & La Bomba and sweet pea hand cream.

I am from rent control on Avenue B, the smell of cigarettes from boricuas playing dominoes downstairs.

I am from the lilies and snake plants, platano and avocado trees in abuela’s backyard.

I’m from Jessica and Elvis

I am from don’t spill the milk and clean up after yourself

I’m from “don’t step on the crack or you’ll break your mother’s back” and 90s freestyle in the summer streets

I am from Lower East Side, Alabama, San Salvador-- black eyed peas, collard greens, sweet tea.

From women who crossed borders to escape abusive men

From women who worked in factories

From women who provide

From women who conquer

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I am from Poem

-I am from African drums and Salsa hips from rice and beans and natural hair care products.

-I am from the Eastern streets of Brooklyn and rowhouses crowded together.

-I am from the ZZ plant which sustains all weathers and the cherry trees which guarantee a surprise in early Spring.

-I’m from Mabel and Eddy.

-I am from family get togethers.

-I’m from Grandma’s stories about growing up and Guantanamera and “Monkey know which tree to climb!”

-I am from Brooklyn and Panama, rice and beans and plantains. From Uncle Telbert and his decision to drive straight into a brick wall when life was hard, and the secrets surrounding his death.

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I am from Poem
-I am from arroz con gandules and from Pine-Sol cleaning and Ajax under the sink.
-I am from brick buildings and sun through the windows.
-I am from dusty aloe plants on the window and a squirrel-filled Maple.

-I’m from Iris y Pepin.

-I am from Dios te bendiga and talking fast.

-I’m from “you’ll get sapos if you put that in your mouth!” And the Prayer to St. Jude.

-I am from Brooklyn and Puerto Rico and pernil and pasteles. From spirits who come back to warn us and a wind that cools even on the hottest days.

I am the box at the top of the closet, frayed and almost-forgotten, but holding it all.

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I am from Poem

-I am from Blackness, from hot combs on the stove to plastic on my couch

-I am from the first-floor apartment in the front with the squeaky door.

-I am from the aloe vera and spider plants in the glass jars on the windowsill

-I am from Nee Nee and Bunny

-I am from 2 liter Pepsi’s

-I’m from the devil is a lie And Amazing Grace And who you think you talking to

-I am from Brooklyn and South Carolina, collard greens and mac and cheese

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PC's I AM

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I am from laughter at Sunday dinner and extra extra virgin olive oil.

I am from old school retro meets the latest in tech and makeshift home fitness.

I am from the white roses and the scarred plum tree.

I’m from Ronald and Frances and Frances and Ronald.

I am from hot peppers and problem solving.

I’m from you’re different and dumb and you are my sunshine.

I am from oranges and Ferrazano faggioli  and the first person in the family to …

I am from NYC.

I am from there’s more to me and more to be done.

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Who Am I?

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I am from nature from cold weather and hot coffee.

I am from a house surrounded by gardens and chickens clucking.

I am from snow, from evergreens and wild Sumac.

I’m from Grandma Fitz and Grandma Lee

I am from card games after dinner and never-ending games of Risk.

I’m from “Always try your best” and Sting and “You know, mom, you’re always right ;)”

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I'm a wife, mom to two fur-kids (Lucy and Ethel), an adventurer, sister, daughter/grandaughter, teacher, friend

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I am from big crowds and new faces, from MetroCards and Snapple.

I am from the quiet buzz not far from the noisy bustle.

I am from the million trees, the cicadas, the pigeons.

I’m from Alejandro and Oddmund, hot and cold.

I am from going to see something new yet familiar.

I’m from “try to figure it out yourself” and Magalenha by Sergio Mendes and share and share alike.

I am from Brooklyn, and Puerto Rico, and Norway, and mofongo. From the countless times my uncle fell asleep at family gatherings and the quiet fortitude of my grandfather. From dreaded family photos during the holidays, the air mattress in the upstairs bedroom, the small cranny in the basement, and the home that was wherever we were.

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you would like to know my skin color

you would like to know my country

you would like to know my gender

you would like to--

--father, brother, teacher

aura, light, and darkness

magnetic, shy, and sad

and happy and chill

an umbrella when it rains

is what i am

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1. I am Jessica. I am a Chinese-American woman, a Brooklynite, a daughter of immigrants, and a lover of all types of food! I am sensitive, but I am strong. And I love helping others, hence why I became a teacher! :)

2. My life experiences have impacted who I am and helped shape me into the person I am today. I am a fighter and I love supporting others through their struggles because I know how hard it is when you don't have that support or don't feel seen.

3. In order to better support my students in learning about their own identities, I would like to learn about how to talk about my own cultural identity (especially my race) and to feel comfortable talking about it.

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I am from Poem

-I am from intrepid ancestors from books and music.

-I am from rent-controlled NYC apartments.

-I am from the earth. The soil.

-I’m from Charles and Lillian

-I am from reading.

-I’m from being twice as good.  And the Black National Anthem And Black don’t Crack

-I am from NYC  and Alabama and St. Kitts, cod fish and peas and rice.  Big Mother’s family being chased out of Mississippi, Myrna’s scrapbook.

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I am from  Chimalistac’s cobble stone streets (Mexico City neighborhood) from Tajin chili powder and vinyl hip hop records.

I am from the hawk that flies over the treetops on the south side of Prospect Park

I am from the lake. The turtles laying idle under the deep summer sun.

I’m from  Salvador and Ellen.

I am from “call each other every day to check on each other”

I’m from “no toques nada!”  And  “del plato a la boca se cae la sopa”

I am from Mexico, Lithuania, chilaquiles, chiles rellenos and coffee cake. From Tito’s 50 year career as an accountant for PEMEX who never took a sick day, Grammy’s tender pastel paintings that never received recognition outside our family, endless sessions playing with my primos, climbing up pyramids of Malinalco, soft serve ice cream on the boardwalk, my first Advisees in 2006 at Prospect Heights International High School.

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I'm a mom, daughter, sister, a chemistry teacher and mindful of living in the now

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My name is Jared Kenish-Turnbull. I am a white Italian American male who happens to also identify as being gay.  Each of these things and the experiences have helped to shape who I am and impact me as a person today.  I love life, love new experiences, love teaching, love collaborating, love meeting new people and have a positive energy that I always hope to share with others.  I am the glass half-full kind of guy who always likes to help those around me (sometimes, I devote too much time to others instead of myself – and that sometimes has a negative impact, so I have to remember to slow down.) I feel that in order to help my student learn more about their identity, I really have to dig in deeper to my roots and understand more about my own familial culture.  Why did I grow up the way I did?  How did that truly impact my life?  What aspects of my life did I have to take in my own hands?  Why?  How did I overcome these obstacles?

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The version of the browser you are using is no longer supported. Please upgrade to a supported browser. Dismiss

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I am nine lives
I am an outsider
I am a square peg
I am a city mouse
I am a country mouse
I am a mother
I am a partner
I am a teacher
I am radical
I am small
I am infinite
I contain multitudes...

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1. Who am I? Describe yourself and share your identity & culture: I am from NY born and raised. Italian and Irish family...but married Greek, so that has definitely influenced me more in my recent years.

2. What are important things that impact who you are? Family, friends, and the day to day of what I can learn from my own students.

3. What learning about my own identity do I need to do to better support students learning about their identities? That there are multiple perspectives and points of view to every story. As a  US history teacher this is something that I strive to include in all my lessons. I also always have students share from their own experiences to help build on these ideas (amongst others).

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I tweaked a version of this I made as a model for an assignment we did with students this year! The assignment was called "The Idea of You" (after reading excerpts from The Idea of America by Nikole Hannah-Jones).

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Me in 3+

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I am from southern California, although I've spent the last twelve years living in Brooklyn. My parents are from Spain and Germany. My identity is influenced by their backgrounds as well as the largely Mexican-American neighborhood I grew up in. When I think of my culture I think of it as a potpourri. My parent largely assimilated to their surroundings in east LA, as did I. I find my identity shifting as I experience new things and time moves on. As an educator, I find it important to reflect on what has shaped and is shaping my identity.

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I am a social studies teacher. I value my relationships with friends and family.

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1.I am a white Middle Eastern Jewish woman from Queens NY. I love teaching and it defines a lot of my personality because it is more than a job, but a passion for me.
2. My students and their future are very important to me. Unlearning a lot of things that have shaped my identity is the work that I am currently going through right now.
3. I have a lot more to learn about my identity and how it has shaped me. I have for a long time just gone along with what society has told me and not questioning anything. When I become more confident in my own skin and the privilege I have experienced than I can do more to empower my own students.

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I am a biracial (Latina/white) Special Education HS teacher who teaches in and is from the Bronx, NY. Currently pregnant with my first child and am ready to explore their even more "complicated" race makeup and identity with them as they grow :). My family, friends, and students drive me and inspire me every day! I love baking dessert, traveling, and reading. I constantly am looking to learn more about how to navigate the intersections of race, culture and privilege (and especially reflecting inward on these).

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I am from... (couldn't finish it all- sorry). H. Mkrtchyan

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I am from... (couldn't finish it all- sorry). H. Mkrtchyan

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I am from a kebab wrapped in lavash from a home filled with bright blue evil eyes hanging on the walls and vodka being the solution whenever you're sick.

I am from a home that is constantly bustling with guests and that is filled with the aroma of Armenian coffee.

I'm from a culture where I always helped my mom cook and clean and told that you could do better than a 95%.

I am from a family where if you come over, you never leave hungry.

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I'm a queer Arab, Puerto Rican, Italian English teacher who was raised (and currently teach) in South Brooklyn. These composite parts of my identity mean that my existence is inherently political, and that my ability to exist peacefully and have the same access to employment, healthcare, marriage, and just about everything else is, and has always been, dependent on the people who fought for my rights and the ongoing willingness among every generation to grab the baton and continue the fight for equity and justice.

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I am currently a teacher of MLLs. I love to travel near and far. 14 years teaching in NYC public schools. Originally from South Carolina.

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I'm a Brooklyn-based teacher with midwestern roots (suburban Chicago). I'm queer, an aunt, and an oldest sister.

My curiosity and interest in stories and the "why" behind everything as well as my  LGBTQ identity, my background as an athlete and teammate, and background as a writer (a former sports journalist) greatly form who I am, as being the oldest child :)

Ironically, although I am

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This is my tag line.  It is how I greet my students at the beginning of class.

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Chris Shamkin                I am an upstate New Yorker from a small town. 

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Chris Shamkin                I am an upstate New Yorker from a small town. 

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Important things that impact who I am are my children and community.

I'd like to know what my biases are and what ways I can bring joy, and aesthetics to my students' learning experience.

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We had our kids do a similar activity at the beginning of the year, and I made one! Feel like it works here too~

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My name is Topher, and I am a transmasculine nonbinary ELA teacher and GSA advisor. I am no longer connected to my biological family, and the culture of my chosen family can be described solely as queer and diverse. I am a devout Trekkie, I have experienced moments of being unhoused, I have experience struggling with and advocating for those with mental illness and neurodiversity. My guiding principle as a human and as a teacher is interrogating the way things are and adapting them to be more inclusive and welcoming for students and individuals from all walks of life. In terms of what learning I need to do about my identity, I only started my transition during the pandemic because one of my students in GSA (during our last in-person meeting) thanked me for being a visibly queer person on our campus and it really made me feel shame about my gender being hidden. I am always questioning my identity and where certain beliefs and behaviors come from. I am open to criticism from all, but mostly my students.

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One thing about myself that I have been working on since I started teaching (18 years ago), is unlearning the linguistic hegemony that I was raised in. There isn't just one way to communicate, but my upbringing drilled into me very strict ideas about proper and improper speaking and writing. I've worked hard to suppress those knee-jerk reactions and to make more space in my classroom for code-switching and assignments that require less structured language.

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I am a math teacher. I am part of many different cultures, mostly Spanish and Italian. The relationships I have with family and friends impact who I am. I love to cook/bake and exercising. I would like to know how to make math more culturally relevant.

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Greek-Cypriot Ethnicity
History Teacher- 21 years
I have a 20yr old daughter, and 15 yr old son
I'm a sensitive, caring, passionate person.
Love traveling, music, languages, cultures, and the beach is my happy place. Sorry, I didn't include pics. They are not on my school computer.