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Cultural Identity In Brazil

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Every day, I value and respect my education more and more, and will forever do so. Why? Think about it: Life can take away everything from its people; however, it cannot take away his or her education. In fact, Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”—this is true (“Nelson Mandela Quotes,” n.d., p. 1). Today, I believe that I am making a difference in the world with my knowledge, especially in the world of education. The knowledge that I have acquired in my short four years here at Felician University, is currently allowing me to realize that my academic struggles, that I encountered throughout the first twelve years of my education career were worth it and are meaningful. For that reason, today I am more determined than ever before. …show more content…
Hence, I will have the opportunity and privilege to educate the young minds and hearts of 21st-century learners—make an everlasting positive impact. The purpose of this paper is to describe my cultural identity, specifically how growing up in Brazilian (Latino) household was a unique experience, specifically how my primary, middle, and high school years helped me shape my educational beliefs and experiences—despite the academic challenges that I faced.
Now, let us travel back in time, to a snowy winter night, thirty-nine years ago, specifically in January of 1978, in New York City. My beloved mother, Hedylamar De Moraes, at the age of eighteen-years-old, immigrated to the United States, from Brazil—in search of the American Dream. My grandfather, Nelson Pinheiro De Moraes, helped my mother, uncle, and aunts immigrate to the United States. Today, I would not have this unique Brazilian-American cultural identity if it were for my beloved grandfather. In fact, Marcus Garvey once said, “A people without the knowledge of their past

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