As a first-generation college student from the High Plains of Western Kansas and daughter of a migrant worker, reflecting back over my experiences, opportunities and achievements along my academic and professional journey to the professoriate, there are clear instances that have shaped me in profound ways. One such instance has been my experience with the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE) and my participation in the AAHHE Faculty Fellows program. As the only Latina in my department and one of only two tenure-track Latinx faculty in my entire college, I cherish opportunities such as those provided by the AAHHE network to connect and build community with other Latinxs working within educational contexts.

What has been most transformative for me has been the relationships I have gained through opportunities to network across regions and institutions with other impactful Latinx faculty. These relationships have led to increased confidence and a sense of solidarity, as well as new collaborative research opportunities. I continue to draw strength from my AAHHE Fellows cohort and enjoy celebrating our various successes as we all move along the tenure-track process. As a faculty member of color, academia can be a cold and lonely space at times—it can make one question their purpose and can challenge one’s sense of belonging. However, after joining AAHHE, I learned I am not alone, I do belong, and that my voice, perspectives, and work in the field of education is important.

I believe my increased sense of efficacy benefits not only me but also the graduate and undergraduate students of color I teach and mentor. In my role within the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education, I strive to be an ardent educator, critical researcher, and engaged community member. Informed by my experiences as often the only learner and then teacher of color within predominantly White institutions my whole life, I believe that education can and should be doing a great deal more to reimagine institutions that are welcoming and successful spaces for a broader cross section of students. To bring about change, I believe that teacher preparation programs must develop and sustain critically conscious educators who enact an equity literacy. However, social, historical and cultural issues continue to challenge the recruitment, retention and development of educators PK-20 who are able to deconstruct deficit perspectives and leverage students’ cultural and linguistic funds of knowledge for effective instruction. It is for these reasons that I am passionate about teacher preparation, in addition to critical mentorship, specifically for Latinx teachers. As a critical race scholar, current and foundational literature in critical theory, CRT and LatCrit, social reconstructionism, Chicana feminism, and cultural wealth frameworks shape my research, teaching and service.

This academic year, as I reach the finish line of the tenure and promotion process, I am so grateful for the mentorship and support I have received from my AAHHE family. I feel confident in the future and committed to bring my passion, determination, and intellectual and cultural assets to bear in making a positive impact on the profession of teaching. •