CEDI Q&A Series: Henry Ramirez

The 2020-2021 Computing Educator Diversity Initiative (CEDI) consisted of in-service teachers of color working together as they deepened their computer science content knowledge, pedagogical skills, and equitable strategies — as well as be supported in their efforts to obtain their computer science (CS) teacher certification.

This is the third Q&A profile in the Expanding Pathways in Computing (EPIC) series on teachers' experiences with the CEDI program. After spending 30 years in education, Henry Ramirez now serves as a regional chapter support coordinator for the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA). Ramirez spent 17 years as an instructional technology specialist and four years teaching CS to middle school students for Aldine ISD in Houston.

We caught up with Ramirez to hear his thoughts on why students should learn CS, his time in the CEDI program, lessons learned from the "band of brothers and sisters" in his cohort, and why he'd recommend that other teachers join the program.

EPIC/TACC: What piqued your interest in CS and STEM? How did you decide to pursue this field as a career?

Henry Ramirez: My son, Alejandro, was my inspiration to get into CS. He pursued a degree in CS when he attended LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas. Two months after he graduated, he got a job with Apple. Aldine ISD, where I taught at the time, didn't offer any CS courses, so I started attending WeTeach_CS trainings. Later, I bought Raspberry Pi computers and started an after-school tech club at Aldine Middle School with 10-12 students. Two years later, I accepted a CS position at Nimitz High School in Houston. Even though I'm retired, it feels good to know that I advocated bringing CS to Aldine.

EPIC/TACC: Do you have a main takeaway from your time in the CEDI initiative?

Henry Ramirez: I realized teachers could come into a program like CEDI without any background in CS — the leaders provided the resources necessary to thrive. I loved networking with teachers from different areas, and I keep in touch with some of them. We would set up small groups and have brainstorming sessions, then we'd lead study groups. The support from CEDI leadership was outstanding, but I feel that how teachers helped each other was more beneficial.

EPIC/TACC: Why should other teachers sign up for the CEDI program?

Henry Ramirez: Students of color are who we want to reach with CS. Teachers must set an example for students of color and show them success stories from people who look like them. We need to show students there's no anchor holding you down because of the color your skin or the language you speak. I always tell students, "You can succeed in this field!" Also, if you want students to study CS, give them the resources to be successful.

EPIC/TACC: What do you hope to see for current and future CS students?

Henry Ramirez: I want students to have more opportunities to study CS and take advantage of available resources like Black Girls Code, which introduces young girls of color to CS. During my last year at the middle school, my students did Beats Unlocked by Facebook, a workshop where students learn to create musical beats using block-based coding. Here I am, 60-years-old and a classic rock/country music type of guy, and they're doing programming for hip-hop songs. I had no idea what songs they were programming, but they were enjoying themselves and using CS, and that's all that mattered to me.

EPIC/TACC: How has CEDI empowered you to advocate for students of color?

Henry Ramirez: Being a regional coordinator with CSTA, I'm able to implement the things that I learned through CEDI. Culturally, I come from a Mexican American background, where girls and boys have traditional roles to fill. However, as a Latino teacher, I want students to know that you can embrace your culture and embrace something new.

EPIC/TACC: What is one thing that surprised you about participating in CEDI?

Henry Ramirez: Everyone's commitment to reaching students of color. Together, our cohort was committed to overcoming stereotypes and providing opportunities for students, showing them that they could have a future in CS. It was nice to see teachers from different races all be committed to the same cause.

EPIC/TACC: How was the program enhanced by the unique cohort of educators who experienced CEDI with you?

Henry Ramirez: The CEDI program made us feel like "brothers and sisters in arms" because we wanted everyone to succeed! Some of us were moderately knowledgeable about CS, so we helped those who were new to the field, and that supportive spirit brought us closer together. We had a great cohort of teachers who were all in the same boat, so helping each other out was beneficial to everyone. Yes, we all were teachers of color, but we had very different experiences in CS education. Teachers were able to come together and talk about our cultural experiences and how we interact with students, and we had those conversations in a welcoming environment.

EPIC/TACC: Thank you for your time and contributions to teaching CS and STEM, Mr. Ramirez.

The CEDI Program has been funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF #1837602) and Microsoft. Read more in the CEDI Special Report.

The EPIC Team at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) exists to broaden participation in K20 computing pathways through research, outreach, professional development, and policy advocacy. To achieve this mission, we partner with school districts, institutions of higher education, industry leaders, and federal, state, and local government entities who are also dedicated to expanding access and opportunity for historically underserved students in computing.