My Cultural Journey: Between Deserts, Languages, and Dreams By Aly Arismendy

I was born in the heart of La Guajira, Colombia, a desert region that holds the spirit of resilience and pride. I am the product of a beautiful heritage: one grandmother was Wayuu, and the other Afro-Colombian. My parents, Cristóbal and Norys, carry both bloodlines with dignity they are mestizo Wayuu, and through them, I inherited a cultural identity that shaped every part of who I am.

Wayuunaiki was the first language I ever spoke. Spanish followed, then Portuguese, and finally English each one a door to survival, opportunity, and growth. But language alone does not define me. What defines me is the journey: growing up in poverty, witnessing injustice, and still choosing to rise through education.

I began teaching more than 25 years ago. That dusty photograph of me in my early 20s, already a licensed teacher in Early Childhood Education and Physical Education, reflects not just a profession it tells a story of cultural legacy. My grandmothers were teachers. So were my parents. Teaching flows through my blood.

My immigration story brought challenges. I worked in construction, cleaned dishes, and served tables always holding on to the dream of returning to the classroom. That dream never left me. Today, I am a U.S. citizen, I speak four languages, and I am completing my master’s degree at Eastern Washington University.

My cultural identity is not just background it is my foundation. It taught me not only to survive, but to protect others. I believe in education with purpose, and in a world where no one should be judged by their skin, language, or origin. My deepest conviction is simple: never harm others.

This is my truth. I am Afro-Latino. I am Wayuu. I am a teacher. I am a dreamer. And I will always stand for justice in education.