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Montoya's story

I was born in Hayward, California and raised in multiple cities including: San Jose, Fremont, Milpitas, Oakland and Sacramento. My mother raised me along with my three siblings. My siblings and I have developed a strong support system and we’ve adapted the nickname ‘Fantastic 4’. Growing up, I wasn’t introduced to the idea of college until my sixth grade teacher took my class on a field trip to the University of California, Berkeley, I saw a future opportunity. In my sixth grade yearbook goal profile I wrote, “I’m going to go to UC Berkeley!”. I achieved this goal and graduated from UC Berkeley in 2011. I began my undergraduate career as an intended business major; my desired occupation was to be an accountant for one of the ‘Big Four’ accounting firms. After I began taking education courses and working for an afterschool program during my sophomore year, the desires of my heart began to change. I changed my major to American Studies with an emphasis in Urban Education. I learned the difficulties minorities students face within the educational system and the methods that aren’t working, but I wanted to further my research and explore methods that are working. I furthered her research and composed my senior thesis on the topic: “Methods for Constructing a Positive Identity in African American Students.” I have been able to apply my research at my current occupation. I am a third grade afterschool teacher in Oakland, CA, where I developed and teach a poetry and dance curriculum. My dream is to work with children, uplifting and inspire them through the art of creative writing, poetry and spoken word. As a child I was teased for having dark skin and developed low self-esteem, through writing I want to help students learn to love themselves.


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About Montoya Mayo Co.

Industry: Services
Years in operation: New Business


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