# data[].attributes.body
Growing up I had a speech impediment. I began speech services in preschool and continued until the third grade.
Being pulled out of the classroom constantly for services made me feel embarrassed, lonely, and honestly stupid. Even when I tried communicating with my family and friends, it was frustrating when they couldn't understand what I was saying. This was one of the main reasons why I decided to become a teacher.

# data[].attributes.body
The Columbine Shooting in 1999 changed the lives of Americans, especially for teachers and students. I was too young to remember how this impacted my life at that moment, but years later I learned how it changed school policies and procedures to ensure safety. Now schools have monthly drills to practice all different safety procedures to make sure teachers are best equipped to help protect their students and themselves in the moment of a crisis.

# data[].attributes.body
I was in my second grade classroom when we heard over the loud speaker names of students to report to the main office because they were being picked up from school early. I remember looking out of the window and noticing a difference in the sky. We were all scared and we knew something was wrong. I remember worrying because my dad worked in the city, close to the accident. I think out of this horrific moment in history, it did bring Americans, especially New Yorkers, together.

# data[].attributes.body
The purpose of the No Child Left Behind Act was to close to the achievement gap and provide educational funding for poor students. However, one of the negative outcomes of this act was the focus on standardized testing. Now many teachers feel as though they are teaching to a test.

# data[].attributes.body
When the ALS bucket challenge began in 2014, I honestly didn't even know what ALS was. However, this became a harsh reality for me in 2016, when my mom was diagnosed with ALS at the age of 49. As soon as I finished college, I moved back home and took care of my mom. She recently passed away in January and it has been a daily struggle to live life without her.

# data[].attributes.body
The storming of the capitol left many Americans feeling saddened, hurt, and disgusted. I never thought I would see something like this in my entire life. For me, it portrayed how broken America was and the divide we have in our country. It was scary to see Americans act in this behavior to their own government.

# data[].attributes.body
COVID 19 has impacted not only Americans, but everyone in the world. I never thought I would live through a pandemic. Everything changed. Being a teacher during a pandemic was difficult. Teaching students over Zoom was challenging and extremely frustrating. This year, we are all back in the classroom, but still facing challenges. Now teachers are mandated to get vaccinated. As the Union Delegate for my school, it is upsetting to see teachers forced to take unpaid involuntary leave because they are not vaccinated. How do I help stand up for these teachers? Why aren't all NYC employees like police officers mandated to be vaccinated?