Q&A

How did being a TFA corps member impact your life, what you do for work, and how you do the work?

Teach for America is one of the fundamental reasons why I am now an immigration attorney. When I taught, I realized the importance of having a teacher that is Latina like myself. Growing up, I never had a teacher who spoke Spanish, much less who looked like me. As a corps member, I was able to connect with my students in many ways due to cultural similarities and speaking Spanish. Now, as an immigration attorney, who is an immigrant as well, I can identify with my clients and their families on a much deeper level. Teach for America helped me learn this skill and appreciate the ability to identify with my students, and now my clients. In short, I learned the importance of serving as a role model for Latino youth and the community overall. 

When you think back to your time in the corps, what surprised you most about your experience? What do you wish that everyone knew about TFA that might surprise them? 

I was surprised by the number of resources available, I was scared to begin teaching because I did not have any teaching experience, but once I joined the corps, I saw the abundance of resources and realized just how much support and encouragement the corps offers. 

How do you use the skills and beliefs you developed while in the corps?

I learned to build relationships with my students and their parents as well as learned to be the voice for my students. Now, I am the voice for immigrants, I also build relationships with my clients and their families, just as I did while I was teaching with my students and their parents.