Reflective Essay DeDera 1!

Reflective Essay

Tatiana DeDera

University of Nevada, Reno

EDUC 413/613: Education for a Changing World

Professor Bleak

August 28, 2020

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I was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. While Las Vegas is known to be a tourist hot-

spot, bustling with people of different races and ethnicities who come to marvel at the Strip’s

glowing lights, hotel-casinos, and five-star rated entertainment industries, I grew up in what one

could consider the “suburbs” of Vegas. It was a district of the city that any civilian would be

considered lucky to live in—where the privileged were able to basque in their two-story, picket

fenced homes. In other words, it was the district of white people. However, I am the offspring of

an interracial marriage. Being the mixed daughter of a black and white couple guaranteed that I

wouldn't receive the amount of privilege that other people my age would take receipt of. The

biggest kicker of all was that I was the only black student in my grade while attending the K-8

Catholic school, located around the corner from my neighborhood. The demographic of my

home and school brought upon many social characteristics which negatively shaped my

worldview. I wasn’t exposed to other kids that shared my race or any people who believed in

other religions. I had a very biased and strict understanding of the world. Priest, deacons, and

private school teachers were the people in control of my knowledge and had the most influence

on my life. I was taught to condone and look down on others through the school’s

institutionalized racism and religious discrimination, yet I fell into the category of “others” in

which we were looking down upon. It was ironic that my parents sent me to a Catholic school in

hopes of shielding me from the darkness of the world, yet I was bullied for my race and

perceived by my peers as the ghetto, sassy, ratchet, loud, and aggressive student; all which are

racist black stereotypes that did not fit my character at all. I felt as though I had to conform at

school. Cross-cultural communication seemed almost impossible in my circumstance because

my peers would fail to find ways in which I was similar to them and would only judge me by my
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skin color. However, I am an advocate of cross-cultural communication. I finally was able to

experience it in high school when I was exposed to other people of color and followers of other

religions. The most enriching part of it all was that this communication demanded respect and

mutual acceptance. I understood cultural diversity and grew an awareness and curiosity to

individual cultures. As a future educator, I will ensure that my students, their backgrounds, and

the various cultural aspects they bring to the classroom will be respected and acknowledged. The

world is becoming interconnected and the future generations must be taught that we are all equal

and that our ethnicities must be celebrated.

I would define culture as a specific group of peoples norms, traditions, beliefs and

behaviors. This group of people can be bound together by ethnicity, geographical location, race,

etc. There is a strong relationship between culture and education, which many people fail to see.

The education we revive and the life lessons we are taught constructs the way we view our

culture and others. Through education we must bring a positive awareness to culture. We

shouldn’t have to wait until college in order to explore the vast subject of anthropology. Students

should be taught to celebrate different cultures while the minds are still being developed. It is the

lack of acknowledgment and celebration which creates prejudice and biased minds. People

should feel as though they can be accepted into groups that shape their identity. For example, in

high school I was finally able to meet peers that where black/mixed. I felt as though I could feel

accepted and confident in my race, instead of feeling the need to conform to the majority.

Furthermore, people can belong to more than one group that shapes their identity. Apart from

race, I was also able to feel accepted with those who shared my ideological beliefs. Belonging to

these cultural groups gave me a sense of power, which was contrary to what the connotation of
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“power” previously meant to me. When I used to hear the word “power,” I used to think of God,

priests, and my teachers. These thoughts originated from my demographic location and what the

people around me believed in as well. However, I have developed since then. Now when I hear

the term, I think of strength and what power can do. When I hear the word “power” today, I think

of movements, protests, and the fight of power with power. This originates from the culture I am

apart of today. I have found my people and celebrate my race.