DANTE, Bellevue, Washington, USA

High School Student 
African-American 
Male 


Q: What do you have in common with your teachers? 

A: My teachers and I definitely do NOT have a lot in common.

​The only thing really connecting us is that it's their job to teach me and I have to go to class. In my opinion, the biggest divider between my teachers and I are race, gender, and economic background.


Q: Does it matter that students and teachers have things in common? 

A: Yes. It definitely does make a difference in the relationships that I have with staff at my school. For example, I don't see any of my teachers or staff members as people that I could truly open up to.

Honestly, how could they understand me? They're all white women and I am a black male.

​In my perspective, I have grown up in a different world than my teachers. It's a world that they never had to experience and they never will. The only teachers/adults that would truly understand me and my past experiences would be a person of color but I don't think I've ever had a teacher or color and that's really a shame.


​Dante is getting ready for college where he plans to study business. He is currently interning with a youth organization where he works with kids to record music and organize performances. He hopes to become a music producer. 

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