This week we caught up with Natalia Alvarado, a first-generation graduate student pursuing her Master of Education, as well as working on her Single Subject Teaching Credential for English in the Teacher Education Program. Natalia also hopes to earn her bilingual certification to teach classes in Spanish. She received her B.A. in English with minors in Spanish and Writing from the University of California, Merced in 2019. She has worked mentoring students at the undergraduate level as a Resident Assistant at UC Merced, also substituting in various elementary and high schools in the Merced District. As a high school English teacher, Natalia will ensure her students are exposed to various texts ranging from diverse backgrounds and cultures, including but not limited to Latinx, African-American, Indian, and Asian literature. (Note this 5?s format is taken from one of the School's internal communications, and is meant to help the Gevirtz community get to know itself better.)
GGSE: Who (living or dead) do you most admire?
Alvarado: Someone I really admire would be Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. She is an incredibly inspirational Latina who empowers her community and advocates for social, racial, and environmental justice, among other things.
GGSE: What is your favorite place in Santa Barbara?
Alvarado: I would say the beach, I don’t have a specific one in mind, but it’s something new since I’ve never lived so close to the beach before. I love how nearby it is, and I especially enjoy driving alongside during summer.
GGSE: When (besides now) would you like to live?
Alvarado: I can’t imagine living at a different time, so I’d have to stick with the present.
GGSE: Where (besides Santa Barbara) would you want to live if money/job were not an issue?
Alvarado: Although there’s no place like Santa Barbara, I think San Diego would be a close second. I would like to continue living near the beach while also being closer to my family in Riverside and not having to drive through the hectic LA traffic to visit.
GGSE: Why do you do the job you do?
Alvarado: The reason I decided to pursue teaching was to share my passion of literature with others. I also want students to have more representation in the classroom, including the various texts they read.