It was a spring morning and the air was filled with the sweet smell of flowers blooming and fruit stands next to the metro entrance. When my father spotted the vibrant red and orange of the Belize sage flower, he knew he had to pluck one, for it was a sign of goodluck. “After all, I needed all the luck I could get!” He carefully tucked the flower into his lapel and said a quick prayer. “Santa Maria, madre de Dios…” In the suit his godfather had gifted him and a briefcase in hand, he made his way to meet the people that had the power to change the course of his life. As he sat down with those powerful individuals, he only heard two exciting words. “You’re in!” As he boarded a flight from Mexico City to Pennsylvania to study his masters and doctorate as a wide-eyed engineer, he couldn’t help but feel nostalgic for his life in Mexico. Soon, he was going to be in a new country, make new friends, and go to a new school. Everything seemed shiny and spectacular. He started off strong and confident, excelling in his courses. In his third year, studying for his PhD, he chose his classes carefully, eager for more knowledge. As he entered one of his classes, the first day of the semester, he felt that something was wrong in the room. His professor was a stern man, hard to please, and for some reason, had an issue with my father from the moment he walked in the door. He recalls being mocked for asking questions, ridiculed for small spelling mistakes, and judged for his accent.
"I would raise my hand for the first couple of weeks. My professor would call my questions stupid or ask me if certain concepts were even taught where I was from. After that, I had my American friend ask questions for me. My professor would praise him for catching his mistakes and for being insightful. That is when I realized that I was not in the wrong."
There were many other immigrants like Russians, Canadians, South Asians, and East Asians in his class. But, for some reason, being from a Latin American country irked his professor. For the sake of this professor’s privacy, I will refer to him as Dr. C.
Throughout the weeks, he noticed even more uncomfortable stares, comments, and body language from Dr. C. "He would huff and puff around me like he didn’t appreciate my presence in the room.” My father didn’t think anything of it. One day, he turned in his work and Dr. C seemed to be fuming with anger. For the next minute, my father was screamed at mercilessly in front of the entire class for doing his work in a slightly different format than the one desired. Dr. C had not only insulted his competence and intelligence, but his racial and ethnic identity as well. He walked home humiliated and drained from the verbal abuse and told his friends about the incident.
“I kept on replaying the incident in my head, trying to find what I did wrong. Was it something I said? My friends told me that I had done nothing wrong and comforted me. My view on America had changed. I knew that every country has their flaws, but I expected more from the US.”
His friends were horrified and convinced him to report the professor’s actions. Fortunately, the administration understood and handled the situation. It was revealed that Dr. C had been reported in the past for racist, sexist, and homophobic remarks. Thankfully, my dad was able to exchange professors and learn in a more welcoming environment. Not many others get this luxury.
Even though my father was the target of many racist and prejudiced people, he always carried a certain attitude that allowed him to leave the encounters unscathed. My father has alway been a very peaceful person. “Turn the other cheek,” is a phrase he mutters so often, it has become his personal motto.
“Congratulations, Dr. H.” When my father heard these words after four long years of studying for his doctorate degree, he knew that every setback was worth it. He says that he was very lucky that he had friends who stood up for him and encouraged him to report the incident. It is important to actively fight against racism. Whether that means calling out a family member or standing up for a stranger, we should always stand up for those who are being marginalized by others.
This story is not special nor unique. Many Hispanic people, Latin Americans, and other people of color have gone through incidents like this. Whether it is from a single educator or from an entire administration, educational racism and bias is rampant throughout the USA. For example, college entrance discrimination, the use of property taxes to determine school funding, gifted program alienation, and the corruption of ESL programs. We see underprivileged school districts that are overpoliced and underfunded, continuing the cycle of poverty. Educational buildings should be safe spaces where children are able to learn without the distractions of racism, prejudice, or violence.