WhoamI?

KathleenMyers

Inordertoexplainmyculture,values,beliefs,andgroupsIidentifywith,Ineedto
startfromthebeginning.LookingbackIrealizeacoupleofsignificantlifeeventsthat
changedmeandshapedmyviews.HowIwasraised,thewaymymotherwas,and
seeingmybrothersuffer,allreallyimpactedmylife.
Iwasraisedbyasinglemother,andshehadasignificantlevelofinfluenceover
whoIamtoday.Mymomwasoneoftheonlyconsistentrolemodelsinmylifegrowing
upespeciallysincewedidnotstayputinoneplaceforlong.MymotherwasNative
AmericanandFilipino.Iwasraisedbyher,alongwithmytwosiblings.Growingupwe
wereaverytightknitfamily.Ididnothaveatraditionalkindofupbringing.Wewere
almostpoorandmymomhadahardtimefindingwork,soweendedupmovingaround
alot.WelivedalloverLasVegas,Reno,ArizonaandNorthernCalifornia.Mysiblings
andIhavebeentoover

twentydifferentschools

andlivedinsomany

houses,apartments,and

condosIhavelostcount.
GrowingupIlost

allofmypersonal

belongingsmorethan

once,toareallybadcar

accident,afire,theft,etc.

Itseemedweneverreally

hadthebestofluck,but

mymomjustcontinuedto

work,andfindusaplacetolive.ThefactthatIhavemovedaroundsomuchand
attendedsomanydifferentschoolsreallyaffectedmylifeinalotofways.Forexample,
eventothisday,Idonotholdanyvalueovermaterialthings.Growingupwithnextto

nothingmademeappreciatethelittlethings.AlsosinceImovedaroundsomuchand
attendedsomanydifferentschools,Ididnotreallyhaveclosefriendsfortoolong.
Atonepointallfourofussharedjustoneroom.WehadnoT.V,noradio,no
toys,onlyeachother.Wewouldplaygameslikecharadesorfingers.Sincewehadno
toys,weplayedwithourfingers.Wewouldreadbooks,talktoeachother,tellstories,or
justgooutsideforlongwalksandexplore.Overtimethiskindoflivingbondedus
togetherverytightly.GrowingupIdidnotevenrealizeIwaspooruntilIwasanadult.I
didntthinktherewas

anythingwrongwiththewaywe

livedandthought

everyonelivedthesame.My

siblingsandIarestill

extremelyclosetoday,much

closerthanmost

siblingsIknow.

MyMom

workedsomuchIbarelysawher.

WhenIdidseehershe

wasalwayspositiveandnever

gaveuporslowed

down.Witheverynewobstacle

wefaced,mymomjust

keptgoingwithherheadup,

nevercomplainingorslowingdown.Thiskindofdetermined,perseveringattitude
rubbedoffonme.Iwillalwayscherisheverythingshetaughtme.Iamaverywillful,
determined,andpositivepersonbecauseofmylifeandIwouldnotchangeonebitofit.
Ilovedmymotherbutshestillhadherflaws,shewasalsoincrediblyover
protective,judgemental,andabitracist.Wearguedconstantlyoverourdifferences.My
momandIeventuallyhadafallingoutforyearsbecauseIdidnotshareherviewson

race.IdisagreedwithwhatshebelievedandshesaidIwaswrongandshewasright,
becauseitwasjustthewayoftheworld.WheneverIexpressedbeliefsofacceptance
andtolerancemymomwouldalwaysmakemefeelliketherewassomethingwrong
withthat.Iwasoffendedandhurtthatshedidnottakemyviewsintoaccount.Ifelt
violatedlikeIwasnotevenallowedtohavemyownopinionorchoice.Ihavevery
strongviewsaboutacceptanceandequalitybecauseIfeltlikeIwasdeniedmyown
choicetobeacceptingandtreatothersequally.
AnotherimportantlifeeventthatIfeelchangedme,happenedabouttwenty
yearsago.Ihavent

reallythoughtaboutitmuch

untilnow.Mybrother

wasbornwithaphysical

disabilityonhishand.

Heonlyhastwofingersonhis

righthand.Mybrother

grewuptobepersistently

bulliedandterrorized

ateverynewschoolhewentto,

bynotonlyhispeers

buthisteachersaswell.I

remembermybrother

wouldgetbeatupandjumped

constantly,just

becauseofhishand.Hewould

comehomewithablackeye,fatlip,orbruisesoverhisbody.Itpainedmesomuchto
seemybrothersosad,sufferingdayinanddayout,atthehandsofhispeers.
SomethinginsidemesnappedandIknewevenasachild,thatnooneshouldeverhave
togothruanythinglikethat,justbecausetheyaredifferent.
IdonotreallyfeellikeIparticularlyidentifywithanyethnicgroupexceptmaybe
NativeAmerican.IwouldhoweverclassifymyselfasanAmerican.Iamamodern

Americanwomanwhobelievesinequalrightsforall.Valuessuchasfreedomofchoice,
equality,fairness,determination,honesty,andnevergivinguparethemostimportantin
mylife.Ibelieveinfairnessandequalityaboveallelse.WhenIlookatsomeoneIdo
notseeallthewayswearedifferent.Ilookpeopleintheeyesandseetheirsouland
heart.Iappreciatetheirdifferencesandthefactthattheyarehuman.
ItisveryimportanttomethatInevergiveupnomatterwhat.Ialsodonotplace
ahighvalueonmaterialthingsorgainingmaterialthingsinlife.Ibelievefamilyisthe
mostimportantthing,aswellashonesty,andequality.Itisalsoveryimportanttometo
notbeassuming,judgemental,ordiscriminatingagainstanyone.Ihaveazerotolerance
policyforracism,sexism,oranyotherismyoucanthinkof.Iamaveryopen,accepting
andwarmperson.

Iamnotreligiousatall,

butIamspiritualand

believeingod.Ihaveexplored

beliefsfrommany

religionsandIdonotfeellike

religionissomething

thatismeaningfultome.

HoweverIdolikethe

lessonsandvaluesthatreligions

teachpeople,thru

theirbiblesandbeliefs.Ihave

pickedapartwhatI

likeandbelievewithincertainreligions,andthisishowIlivemylifeandteachmy
children.

Forexample,Ibelieveinkarmaandreincarnation.Idonotnecessarilybelievein
heavenorhell.Ialsobelieveingooddeedsandcharityforthelessfortunate.Idonot
gotochurchandIteachmychildrenthesebeliefsthatIhavemyself.Ifanyofmy
childreneverwantedtogotochurchIwouldbehappytotakethem.Imakesurethey
understandthatIdonotknowitall,andthattheydonothavetobelievewhatIbelieve.
Wehavetheologicaldebatesandconversations,aboutwhatwethinkandbelieve.
MyhusbandidentifiesasChristianeventhoughhedoesnotgo
tochurcheither,soasafamilywedocelebrateChristian
holidays.WealsocelebrateAmericanholidayslike
IndependencedayandNewyears.Ilikehowalotofreligious
holidayshavepaganroots.DuringthesetimesIalwaystellmy
childrenastoryaboutthehistoryoftheholidayandwhypeople
celebrateacertainholiday.Itisimportanttomethatmychildren,aswellasmyself,
knowWHYwecelebratewhatwecelebrate.Iunderstand
andappreciatethefactthatapersonsreligionhelpsand
guidesthem,itjustdoesntdothatforme.Myinner
strength,willpower,andloveforpeopleiswhathelpsand
guidesme.
Ibelieveapersonshouldbeallowedtolivetheirlifehow
theyseefit,aslongastheyareagoodpersonandpureat
heart.IdonotbelieveindiscriminationtowardsANYONE:whatevertheirrace,religion,

disability,sexualorientation,etc.Iappreciateandloveeveryoneforwhotheyareinside
andthisiswhatIteachmychildrenaswell.
ThewayIwasraisedhasinfluencedmybeliefsandvaluestremendously.People
inmylifehavenoticedthisairaboutmeofunwaveringdeterminationandacceptance.I
lovethesequalitiesaboutmyselfbutIamalsonotwithoutmyowndislikesandbias.So
peoplewhoareoverlyjudgementalorpresumptuousissomethingthatbothersme
immensely.Peoplewhoarelazy,playthevictim,refusetodosomethingwiththeirlife,
orconstantlyfeelsorryforthemselvesalsohasthissameeffectonme.AlthoughIam
oneofthemosttolerantandacceptingpeopleyoucouldevermeet,lazinessis
somethingIhavelowpatiencefor.
Mygoalhasalwaysbeento

bea

teacher.IalwaysknewIwantedto

teach.

MostlybecauseIalwaysfeellikeI

amteaching

someonesomethingallthetime,

becauseI

wantto,andIloveit.Ididntfully

realizeI

wantedtobeaSpecialEdteacher

though,until

IvolunteeredatanElementary

Schooland

gotassignedtotheslowerkids.Icouldimmediatelytellnoonewantedtobebothered
bythem.AfteracoupleminutesIsawtheywerentslowatall.Theyjustlearned
differentlythanmostoftheotherkids.AfterspendingthedaywiththemIfoundthatI
loveditandwantedtokeepdoingit!AfterthisexperienceIknewIwantedtobea

SpecialEdteacher.Ihadthisoverwhelmingurgetobewiththemallthetimeandmake
suretheyreceivetheeducationtheydeserve.
WhenItellpeopleIwanttobeaSpecialEdteacherIalwaysgettheusual
responsesOhyoumustbesopatient,orWellsomeoneneedstodoit.Iunderstand
howotherpeoplemightnotwanttobebotheredbyit.ReallyIdontfeelanymore
patientorbetterthananyoneelse.Ifeellikeitisacalling,andrightwhereIam
supposedtobe.IguessyoucouldsayIhaveexperiencewithpeopleandchildrenwho
aredifferent.MybrotherwasthefirstpersonIhadexperiencewithwhowasdifferent.
ThenlatermysisterwhohasADHD,mysonhasdyslexia,andmyniecewasbornblind.
Noneofthesepeoplearedamagedor
brokentome,justdifferent.
Sowhenpeoplesay:Ohyou
musthavesomuchpatience,Ijust
sighinside.Idontneedextra
patiencetotreatsomeonewhois
differentlikeahumanbeing.Thisis
howIlookateverysinglechildwitha
disability.Everysingleoneofthemarespecialanduniquejustlikeeveryoneelseinthe
world.Allthesechildrenalsodeservethesamekindofattentionandeducationas
anyoneelse.ThereasonIwanttobeaSpecialEducationteacherisbecauseIwantto
besomeoneinachild'slife,thatknowstheyareworthitnomatterwhat.


Hobbiesandinterestsofmineincludereading,painting,listeningtomusic,
dancing,sports,travel,fitness,andtheoutdoors.Ilovereadingsciencefiction,fantasy
orfictionstories.Iliketoreadnonfictionandpoetryaswell.Ilovereadingabooklike
theHungerGamesandjustescapingintoanotherreality.Readingisverysoothingto
meandsomethingIcandoanywhere.Ilovereadingcertainpoetryaswell.Ilikepoetry
thatisintellectualwithmetaphors,butnottoocheesy.Ilovetopaintwhetheritisona
canvas,watercolor,oramural.Paintingissomethingthatjustallowsmetoexpress
myselfandactsasareleaseforme.
MusicissomethingthatIcouldonehundredpercentnotlivewithout!Ilistento
musiceverysingleday.Iespeciallylovemusicwithintelligentandpoeticlyrics.Musicis
soothingandalwaysputsmeinabettermood.DependingonmymoodIcanlistento
justaboutanything.Iloveallgenresofmusic.Ialsolovedancingtomusic.Ofcourse
dancinggoeshandinhandwithmusic.MydaughtersandIare
constantlydancingtomusic.Ialsotakedanceclassesforfunandto
exerciseatthelocalgym.IamagympersonandIenjoygoing
regularlyandtakingallkindsofclasses.Ialsoenjoysports.Ilove
watchingfootball,basketball,boxing,UFC,andsoccer.Ialsoenjoy
playingsoftball,volleyball,tennis,swimmingand
running.

Iamespeciallyinterestedintravelingtheworldsomeday.Travelingasmuchas
IcanisagoalIhavehadformyentirelife.Ilovemovingaroundandseeingnewthings
ortryingnewthings.Beinginnewplacesandseeingnewthingsisincrediblystimulating
tomeandmakesmefeelalive.IalsofeelverymuchalivewheneverIamoutdoors.I
feelconnectedtonatureinawayIcannotexplain.Beinginthemountains,woods,
ocean,lakeorrivercalmsmeinawaythatfeelssoexhilarating.
SomewordsthatcometomindwhenIthinkabout
whoIamare:Woman,mother,wife,sister,teacher,
American,equality,acceptance,freedom,
creativeness,determination,willpowerandhonesty.
AllofthesewordseitherrepresentwhoIam,whatI
believeorhowIlivemylife.Thesewordsalsofactor
intojustaboutallmydecisionsandchoices.
EverythingabouthowIgrewupandwhatIwastaughtdirectlyshapedwhatIbelieve
andhowIlookattheworld.Althoughmypasthashadanenormousamountof
influenceoverwhoIam,Iamstillevolving,growingandlearningeveryday.