“I am a whistleblower.”

My name is Yulissa. I am a whistleblower. It was back in 2018 when I was preparing to be a teacher, I had to take a class to prepare myself for the world of high school public education. My professor started class with a question, “What is something that we all have in common?”. My classmates and I discussed our interests, stories and exchanged some smiles. My professor gathered us and took the time to tell us in a celebratory tone, “it’s because we are all white!” Talk about a moment of stunned silence.

At that time, I took a look at the class and realized I was the only person of color. I raised my hand and said “I’m not white.”

Alt Text: A student stands in front of plants and poses for the camera with her hand shielding her eyes from the sun.

I was then met with “Latino and Hispanic aren’t a race.”

I was shocked. Did I really just hear a professor in a class about cultural sensitivity tell me who I am? I tried to bring up the fact that race was a social construct, and yet, I was met with indifference, doubt and dismissal. I had to step out. Cried under the frustration. I walked back into class after calming myself down. No apology was given.

I ended up telling a trusted advisor of this incident. This person gave me the courage to report my professor, who apperantly already had a track record of racist incidents with students. This professor ended up being let go.

This is why DEI is important. Without DEI efforts supported by institutions, there would be no way to remove problematic authority. Without DEI, I wouldn’t have a space to voice my concerns. Without DEI, I feel disempowered and lost with no community. These reasons (among many) are the reason why I testify that DEI is not just important for our BIPOC communities, but also to ensure the quality of life for everyone.

The moment we quit fighting and demanding our rightful space is the moment we let our oppressors continue to tell us we cannot exist as we are. We exist. We are here to stay.