CHAPTER 14: NOVICE, NOT NAÏVE: How R.A.C.E. Mentoring Helped a Young, Black, Female Scholar Level the Playing Field

Multicultural education (ME) is not only my passion, but also my purpose. ME encompass any form of instructional practice that incorporates the histories, text, values, beliefs, and perspectives from different cultural backgrounds (Multicultural education, 2013). It is an integral part of my identity, spanning from my childhood to the present day. Throughout my educational career, I have participated in the spectrum of educational settings from special education to gifted and talented (GT) programs. The resilience and tenacity I possess are the byproducts of the efforts of many great mentors who have shaped my educational experiences.

Growing up in the military, we traveled the world and were often separated as a family; however, both of my parents were active in my life. My father, in particular, was my first academic mentor, who helped me transition into a GT program after spending my early years in special education. While in high school, I met a teacher who exposed me to the limitless opportunities that an education could provide. She helped me to understand that I was not only intellectually gifted, but equipped with unique leadership and analytical abilities. This teacher provided me with access to the hidden curriculum of high school and her intricate knowledge of the inner workings of the college application process. The knowledge she provided was instrumental in my ability to receive sufficient funds to pay for much of my undergraduate college expenses. My K–12 experiences support the necessity of mentoring as an academic and emotional mechanism for enhancing the capabilities Black youth (Larke, Larke, Jones, & Lea, 2012).