Empowering All Students

Image caption: my students and I tour the Huntington Library, fall 2024. My Instructor Level Equity Dashboard indicates that all groups are well above 40% as of Spring 2025. My highest success rate is currently African American students, who are at 100% success. My lowest group is currently Hispanic students, who are currently 66% (though normally this number is in the 80% range). To raise that number, I am increasing efforts to mentor students one-on-one, revising the survey I administer in my own Canvas courses with equity in mind, and looking for more readings and materials that connect with this group. One practice that I use to specifically support diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the educational environment is to have students work in teams (The Puente Program calls them familias) and exchange “lifeline” information to ensure the best peer support possible. I find that all students benefit from the camaraderie this practice provides. A second DEIA-related practice I use is to seek professional development on accessibility. For example, during Spring 2025 FLEX week, I attended “Accessibility 101” to improve my knowledge of universal design. I implement practices such as closed captioning for videos, alt text for images, and chunked information with proper headings. Third, I cultivate course materials designed to connect with a broad audience. In my Introduction to Literature course, the first reading is a short story by the award-winning Ethiopian-American writer, Meron Hadero. The following week, we read the story “Cathedral,” which details how a visit by a blind man sparks personal growth in the judgmental narrator. As the class unfolds, students greet artists from the Harlem Renaissance, delve into a Latin American masterpiece by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, discuss Viet Thanh Nguyen’s poignant love story set against the backdrop of immigration, and enjoy traditional classics such as Othello and the cryptic verses of Emily Dickinson. In my Principles of Composition course, our theme is health and wellness, which I chose for a universal appeal. We investigate tough topics, but also focus on solving problems and empowerment for all groups. I am registered to attend the English Department Retreat on Inclusivity this spring, along with AVID's Summer Institute in San Diego, where I will continue to gain professional development in reaching learners of all backgrounds.