I am an ELD/Bilingual teacher who loves her students. I believe that it is through the voices our students develop that they can become empowered to share their own stories with others; by doing this, they will have the power to make our world a place where all people's voices are heard and everyone is honored and respected. This is how we can promote equity and social justice both inside the walls of our classrooms, and outside those walls, into the communities where our students live. I teach full-time at Sierra Vista High School, and I also work at the university level, as a part-time instructor. I look forward to sharing strategies with you.

We have faced so many challenges since COVID-19 has invaded our lives, and together, we are still able to share love, hope, and dreams. Two of my students were very lucky this year; one of them, Zihua Yu, won the CABE 2021 Essay Writing Contest, and the other won the NABE 2021 Essay Writing Contest. The CABE winner eloquently described distance learning as we are living it today, "On March 13 of the year 2020, the doors to our school closed, and we had to adjust to a new classroom...This was a classroom that kept us locked up behind a plastic screen, all of us in little boxes, with our teachers on the other side of the screen...We could not hug...We could not share the food that was the pride of our different countries." He wrote about the fear, hatred, racism, and mistrust that has taken over a lot of our lives. But, then, he added, that he has learned "that we can build a bilingual/multilingual bridge that can break through all the plastic screens that seek to separate us, and we can build a peaceful and loving community, even behind the plastic screen," He ended his essay by writing, "The Corona Virus will pass. We will learn to live in peace and harmony. We will do this by becoming bilingual and learning to truly communicate and bond with people all over our small world. We will chat in our bilingual voices as we share our cultures with each other through the unique food of our countries." This is why we teach. All our students' stories must be heard, and we must all share food with each other.

The NABE 2021 Essay Writing Contest Winner, Melina Estrada, told her story. She wants to become the bilingual Mayor of Baldwin Park. He papa passed away this December, but she remained strong and fortified with his love. She wrote, "Becoming bilingual can sometimes feel difficult, especially when others make fun of you. My dad courageously taught me to use my bilingual voice to fight for all people's rights, and to strengthen the chapters in their lives; by doing this, we will unite their families, communities, and the world that is crying out for peace. My mother will stand beside me, as we continue this journey. I will be our bilingual voice. I will become the mayor of my city." This is why we teach. All our students' stories must be heard, and we must all share food with each other.

I hope you will enjoy the distance learning strategies I will share with you this afternoon.  They have worked in my classroom, and they will in yours, too.  I hope you will be able to share the many strategies you have developed with us, too.  These strategies are not just "behind the screen" strategies; they are strategies we can use when we return to our classrooms, too...We will return to our classrooms!