“I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.” – Angela Davis

1. Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
   My name is Ariana Olaya, I am 22 years old and an Indigenous Peruvian American. I was born and raised here in the San Fernando Valley. Growing up my mother instilled in me the pride that was my Peruvian heritage. Despite only speaking Spanish and English at home I was put into a French school from Preschool to 12th grade. My love for languages and different cultures heavily impacted my creative outlet. With this outlet I am able to freely express and combine much of what I have learned in a way that offers representation. I am currently in University about to get my bachelors degree in animation, while also working part time at a French American School here in Los Angeles. Aside from art and learning different cultures, I am an advocate for many civil rights but more specifically those that have impacted me directly such as, indigenous rights, mental health, and reproductive rights.

2. What inspired you to become an educator?
Being an educator is so much more than people think. There are times where you’re an
educator, a doctor, a therapist, a parental figure and so much more. Growing up I definitely
needed a strong support system due to the many stresses that school and life brought me.
When I found myself working at the same school I grew up attending, I questioned what I could
do to make their experience much more enjoyable than my own. Kids need educators in order
to learn, yes. However they also need to feel seen, feel understood, and feel represented,
something I also felt I lacked growing up as I was one of very few latinos in my school at the
time. This drive for students to feel understood is what inspired me to become an educator.

3. Can you share a memorable success story from your career?
As an artist and an educator, one of my most memorable and successful moments was doing a
beautiful mural with last year’s 5th grade class. I worked with Audrey Sebastiao in order to bring
a vision she had to life of a portrait of a beautiful African woman, this was the first painting with
such representation. I remember while we were working on it so many young girls kept saying
how beautiful the painting was, and one of the comments that stood with me was when one of
our staff members who was born in Ivory Coast told me “We made it! We made it onto the wall
and we will be here forever!”. It felt so nice to be able to share that experience by doing
something I love.

4. What unique strengths do you bring to your work?
I think an important factor to note is that I was once a student at the same school I currently
work at. So I am very well versed in how many of the students think and feel as I was in their
position not too long ago. Growing up with the many challenges I have faced personally has
allowed me to become a very empathetic person.With this I believe I am able to bring a fresh
perspective on how it feels like to be both a student and a faculty member.

5. What is your passion, and what motivates you in life?
My passion is art. Much of my childhood was spent watching cartoons. Eventually me redrawing
characters I saw on screen turned into me drawing my own characters in my notebooks during
class (which would get me in trouble). The one thing I noticed at the time was that there weren’t
many characters with my background or similar upbringing. What motivates me is to ensure that
there is representation, I want people to be able to feel seen. There is something so special
about being able to relate to the media you’re consuming and not just seeing the same status
quo over and over again.

6. What is DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) for you, and what does it look like in
your daily routine?
DEI is an important tool that many people can use in their daily life to create an involved
environment that promotes representation and participation of diverse groups and individuals in
work spaces, schools, etc.. To me DEI begins with what you chose to expose yourself to. It is so
important for us to educate ourselves on the diversity that surrounds us. I believe from a young
age my mother has taught me to be aware that many backgrounds and cultures exist and
intertwine within our own culture. That everyone should be treated equally and with respect. I
believe educating yourself and including it in your daily routine make you more mindful and
understanding of those around you. This is applied daily in my routine with much of the media I
consume and create.

7. In your opinion, what are the most important steps that schools can take to create
a more inclusive and equitable educational environment for all- students, faculty, and staff?
When reading this question the first word that came to mind was being mindful. It is so easy for
many of us to go about our day when we aren’t faced with as many trials and tribulations as
others. I think this is why when such conversations about inclusivity are brought up it can make
people uncomfortable. But these uncomfortable conversations need to be had in order for
change to come. It is important that we create an environment where people can respectfully
share their experiences and give input on what we can do as a community to be better. Schools
need to hire staff that are more diverse and inclusive, so that students feel safer and more
represented, as well as include more inclusive topics that can range throughout the curriculum.
Different cultures and backgrounds need to be shared and celebrated!

BONUS: Do you have a quote to inspire us?
“I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot
accept.” – Angela Davis