TIP Unit Explores the Identities of Latin Americans of Asian Descent March 30, 2023 – Posted in: Uncategorized

Alisha Davis, an educator at Constitution High School and TIP fellow, is using her passion for teaching to explore the experiences of Latin Americans of Asian descent and challenge her students’ beliefs about belonging and identity.

Davis teaches AP U.S. Government and Politics and World History to grades 10-12. In spring 2022, Davis joined the Teachers Institute of Philadelphia (TIP) as a fellow in the seminar “Asian Americans in U.S. Schools.” Through the program, she produced a curriculum unit entitled “Latin Asians: Ethnicity, Race, and Immigration in Latin America,” which explores the experiences of Latin Americans of Asian descent. More specifically, her students will reflect on their established beliefs on the belonging of non-European descended people within the Latin American community.

As well as the development of innovative curricula, Davis is committed to promoting activism among her students. In spring 2022, she and her student voter registration team won the Gold 2021-2022 PA Governor’s Civic Engagement Award for registering 89% of all eligible students within their school to vote. This award recognizes the team’s outstanding efforts in promoting civic participation among young people.

In the same season, Davis was accepted into Drexel University’s Master’s of Library and Information Science program, where she continues to expand her knowledge in the field of education. She also earned the Evelyn W. Armstrong Endowed Scholarship for her first semester of study.

In fall 2022, Davis successfully implemented her TIP curriculum unit about Latin Asians in all of her world history classes. The unit culminated in a school-wide student engagement project in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Her curriculum used to be presented as a “featured unit” on the TIP homepage.