Jocelyn Ta

Since elementary school I have been a part of the DI program or otherwise known as the dual immersion program. This is where students take some of their classes in Spanish and develop their writing and speaking skills. I started this program when I was in elementary school and decided to continue this program into high school. In high school I was able to pass all my classes that were required for DI which means I will get a seal of biliteracy. The seal of biliteracy is given when you are proficient in another language and I will receive this when I graduate from high school. Along with the DI program I also decided to be part of the Biomedical Science Academy. The Biomedical Science Academy is a program at my high school where we take special science classes that we take throughout the course of the four years. Being part of these programs has made me so grateful and has been an amazing experience for me. It has opened the doors for a variety of opportunities like volunteering at a clinic where I was able to translate for a doctor. I was also able to go to Boston where I listened to surgeons, inspiring students, and witnessed a live rotator cuff surgery. I will use the knowledge that I’ve learned in both of these programs and further develop them as I continue my educational path. These programs have given me opportunities educationally but also socially. They’ve allowed me to get to know so many different people and make new friends. Respecting and learning about different cultures are very important to me because of my unique upbringing. My family celebrates both my Mexican and Asian side’s traditions. I was blessed with parents that embrace one another’s cultures which means I get the best of both worlds. On my Mom’s side we listen to Chico Che playing in the background, we’re all covered in masa, carrying tamales in and out of the house, and filling the room with laughter. Making tamales with my Nana’s and mom has become a tradition on the 24th of December since my mom was little. My Nana has been trying to teach my mom and me how to season the masa but her measurements are not in cups or tablespoons but instead “until you think it’s good” or “Nomas un poquito”. After the masa is done we have an assembly line where my Nana's fills the tamales with either chicken, cheese, or pineapple and my mom and I smear the masa onto the hojas (corn husks). Once the tamales are done we divide the tamales, touch up our makeup and deliver them to family and friends. I can’t wait for next year's batch of tamales. For my Dad’s side of the family we go to San Jose to celebrate Chinese New Year. We go to eat and watch the fireworks, as well as watch the dragon dance. I also wear a Chinese new year dress which would usually be given to me since I was a baby from my bà nội. She unfortunately passed away when I was young. It was special to me to have her gift me a dress each year. Since her passing I now go and purchase a dress with my mom. I enjoy passing out red envelopes to friends during the week of Chinese New Year. I remember in second grade when I passed them out to both of my DI (dual immersion) classes one of my classmates decided to donate the contents of the envelope to children in need. Once he decided to donate everyone else followed and this became almost a tradition for the DI kids every year on Lunar New Year. When we were in lock down some of my classmates still remembered this event and continued to encourage me to influence others of the Lunar New Year tradition. I love to embrace and celebrate both cultures, which I would love to share with Redlands University. I would like to educate and surround myself with different cultures. I hope that I could contribute to the multicultural community and contribute with my own traditions and style of food. Working with other cultures and celebrating each other's traditions, creating a moment when or where we can all celebrate together.