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“Ms, you just seem really close. Like I feel like you get me. You treat me like I’m your family, like you really care about me. It’s like you’re my auntie who keeps me in check.”

Hearing these words from one of my students remains the most uplifting and validating moment of my teaching career.

This student confided that he was often told in intermediate school that he was too far behind in reading and writing to succeed. Because he felt like his teachers wrote him off, he acted out in class, disrespected his teachers, and engaged in harmful behaviors. When he got to me, he was ready to continue down this path.

I worked with him strict no-nonsense management and direct communication, and I saw him rise to my high expectations for him. But most of all, I believe he succeeded because of culturally responsive teaching inside my classroom — the inclusion of students’ cultural references in order to increase student engagement and build stronger relationships.

One lesson this student and others particularly enjoyed was an activity where they identified an issue in their community that they believe to be problematic. Students then wrote a problem/solution essay where they presented the problem, identified how it affects them and their community, and presented a solution.

The key takeaway for my students was the valuable lesson that the problems around them are solvable. We as teachers must make the concept of social justice accessible and achievable. When this clicks for my students, increased engagement and success in the classroom follows.

I reflect on this story today, as we near the end of Black History Month, because the act of welcoming diversity and the daily realities of students each and every day makes my classroom successful.

As a teacher at Waianae High School, I’ve seen that we can have a profound impact on the lives of students by improving our own pedagogy and by embracing and advocating for diversity.

I moved to Hawaii in 2014 and, truthfully, I sometimes feel both highly visible yet still unseen at the same time. I can relate to a student who feels out of place.

I’m a Black woman from Oakland, California who works on the Waianae Coast, where few people look like me. In my search to find connections on the island, I’ve found understanding and points of intersection with my Native Hawaiian students.

While every culture is rich and unique, parallels between the Black and Native Hawaiian communities have enabled me to develop stronger relationships with many of my students. This is not just a feeling in my heart but a reality in my classroom.

The student I referenced has credited his success to my ability to “keep it real” and honest. Other students have expressed a sense of comfort with my celebration of diversity, which has enabled me to connect with them in new ways.

Diversity in education goes beyond teaching to and about different cultures: it’s about acknowledging the range of identities that we all bring to school each day. We should want our learning environments to mirror the diversity of our broader world. Doing so puts our students in a position to succeed in life and it’s the only way we can strive toward equity across the educational landscape.

For me, I’m a Black person 365 days a year and my history is quite literally American history. I want to celebrate well beyond 28 days in February.

Building a more inclusive world requires all of us to frequently explore our identities and celebrate our cultural contributions to our communities and country.