Also supports Cheezem

To the editor:

I was a student of David Cheezem 20 years ago, and I’m really glad he’s running for Mat-Su Borough School Board in Alaska.

Growing up in the East End area of Houston, Texas, where the majority of the population is Hispanic was very stressful. I remember the news and how the media would refer to this area as the “barrio” — and how I looked up this word in the dictionary and thought, “I live here in a barrio?”

Walking into his journalism class I was very shy, and writing and speaking up was something I was not used to. I recall having to write a story about labeling people and how the assistant principal referred to some students as “nerds.” I had to confront her about saying those types of words and Mr. Cheezem went with me because I was too afraid or too shy.

He gave me the confidence to ask the tough questions, and I did. Throughout my years whenever I come to a difficult situation I think about what he taught me. I think about how hard that must have been for him to go with me to confront his boss, an assistant principal. Since then I have not been afraid to ask the hard questions and I have not been afraid to speak up.

I never will forget everything I learned in his classroom, to always remember that I am not defined by the labels society gave us.

Cynthia Hernandez

Houston, Texas