Chapter 4: Being a Latina in The South: Being “The Other” of “The Others” in the Academic World

Right before graduating with my doctorate in curriculum and instruction for mathematics teacher education, I attended a retreat where, I still believe, I got the best advice for new professors I could have gotten. The retreat focused on Latinos/as and how they learn mathematics, the experiences they have, the socialization that leads them to perform the way they do in mathematics, and best practices. The advice came to me from a panel of other professors who were finishing their first year in academia. Their words made so much sense, and their experiences resonated with me. I could understand completely where they were coming from, and I could see where I was going. In this chapter I will describe the result of not following that advice, as well as the ways in which I have been able to balance my impulses with other practices that I am sure those giving the advice would have approved.