Musings by Marissa

  I am a teacher who stands up for my students against inequality and systemic racism , who is in favor of permanent change against oppression , who is a supporter of justice against injustice , and who is a defender of BIPOC against white supremacists . I am a teacher who favors the permanent struggle against racism and against social injustice . I am a teacher who rejects the status quo because it is responsible for violence, hatred, and injustice . I am a teacher full of energy , in spite of negativity . I am a teacher who refuses to remain complacent . I am a teacher proud of my students . If I do not struggle for my students , then I will no longer be doing my job .

Born and raised in Smithfield, R.I., I am the daughter of Lebanese-American parents.  As a child, I embraced my heritage, yet as I became older I attempted to become more "Americanized."  At the time, no one was familiar with Lebanon and I had a desire to fit in with my peers.  However, decades later, I deeply regret abandoning the language and culture and I have since immersed myself in the community. From the age of five, I knew that I wanted to follow in my mother's footsteps and become a teacher.  My mother taught World Languages in Providence for over thirty years before she retired.  In 2004, I graduated from Rhode Island College with a B.A. in English and Secondary Education.  Almost two decades later, I enrolled in RIC's TESOL graduate program.  Several of my colleagues and I finished the program in June and we have three classes left to obtain our M. Ed. TESOL. Currently,  I am the teacher leader of the Multilingual Learner (MLL) Department at Hope High Schoo