Dr. Tryphenia Peele-Eady came to meet with us at the E3 Children’s Museum. She is from UNM’s department of Language Literacy and Socio-cultural Studies and has a background in anthropology. She discussed Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and shared personal experiences of research she has done in the field. She stressed the importance of places outside of school that influence a child perspective, and the importance of recognizing how each one can play an active role in developing a child’s fund of knowledge and in turn influence their learning experience. She encouraged all of us to engage racism, own it, acknowledge our biases and recognize the way they manifests in our communications and relationships. She challenged us to recognize the uncomfortableness, have crucial conversations in which we engage in our own beliefs systems and then allow self forgiveness. She explained that being culturally competent means much more than just being aware. It is beyond surface culture, beyond books, food and cultural dances. It is embracing the deep culture that can not be seen. It is acknowledging a child’s story and appreciating their funds of knowledge and the unique gifts that they can bring into the classroom. It is providing opportunities for all children to demonstrate their knowledge and participate at varying levels. It is thanking “Lem” for his information and not correcting his speech.