110: Preparing for Academic Writing During the Holidays with Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

All right, welcome, everyone. Today we have another awesome guest speaker. I'm really excited because I feel like it's about time that I've had this person on the podcast. We have doctor Ces'Ari Garcia Del Muro who's going to be talking to us all about preparing academic writing. And I'm excited because I feel like some of the work that we do is very parallel. And so when I, you know, on social media, sometimes I see you like we're in like similar kind of spaces. And I think it's important for the folks who listen to this podcast to if they haven't been introduced to you to get to know you your work and you know, your expertise in specifically academic writing among I'm sure many other topics.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

So we'll get started with me reading your bio. Dr. Ces'Ari Garcia Del Muro is co founder of Latinx education coach, a business that serves first generation people of color with writing academic and professional skill development through workshops, coaching and editing services. She is a multi generational Latina of Mexican and Native American descent. As an LA County native, she was raised in Baldwin Park, California. I know that area I used to live in and go on while she was raised in Baldwin Park by working class family Doctora Del Muro is a first generation high school and university graduate UC Irvine at either Arizona State University Sun Devil and a UCLA Bruin.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Whoo. So we're both, that's awesome, we have UCLA in common. And then, just to wrap things up, Dr. Del Muro's experience includes teaching English to sixth, seventh, ninth, 11th, and 12th graders. She has experienced with English language development English as a second language, given her struggles with mastering English as a native speaker and seeing friends, family and students struggle to Doctor Del Muro knows how important it is to have an instructor who behaves more like a coach providing constructive, clear feedback. I can't agree more. So welcome to the podcast, doctor, Del Muro, or Doctora.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

Thank you so much. It's exciting to be on this podcast. And like you had mentioned. It's there's similar like circles on social media. And it's been such an amazing journey to be able to start the Latinx education coach, and meet other Latinx who are doing this awesome work. And everyone has like their own specialty. But we're all in the same universe. And I it's been just, I think not only is it great because we're helping other people. But I also think it's very reaffirming to ourselves, to see other people doing this work. So this means a lot to me. Thank you for having me.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Of course. Thank you for coming. So we'll have you get started with sharing a little bit more about yourself. Your background, backstory, your educational and career trajectory, essentially anything you're comfortable sharing, about how you got to where you are today.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

So I like to start at the beginning, I definitely was different growing up compared to my peers. I grew up in Bolton Park, which is a very heavily Latinx demographic area. But most people were first gen. And I was first gen college going but multigenerational. And it was really an interesting experience, because I never met anybody else who was like me, I always felt like I was the outsider. Especially because I didn't speak Spanish. And I'm very upfront about that. I have attempted to learn it. But it just does not come as easily. I still haven't given up but it just I've accepted it's probably never gonna just flow. It takes work.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Some of us learn Spanish and it still doesn't flow.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

It's good to be choppy but I'm trying. But it was like I was the one kid that like didn't have the language. And but English came really easily. And that's always been like the area that has been just kind of natural, all the way up until like college. But we'll save that story till we get there. So my family was very heavily gang affiliated. And I was the only one in my family because I was the baby of everyone that like school was fun and exciting and I loved it. Nobody else felt that way. My mom and dad are very supportive, really were excited to see me do academically well, but didn't really know how far it was gonna take me. So I definitely like think that they were like yeah, she's gonna graduated high school.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

But when it came time to go to college, it was like, Whoa, like, we didn't know that that was an option. But cool, we're with you. So I felt like they went through the process with me. They weren't against it, but they just didn't know what all the avenues were either. So we kind of figured it out together. But being the first in my family to go, I really had aspirations that by me going to college, I was somehow going to break generational cycles, and everybody would follow suit. That's not what happened. That's still not what's happened. I found that working with people who are not my family, they're way more inclined to listen to me.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Gosh, you just need something that's like, so true to me too, go ahead. Sorry.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

No, I mean, it's, it's and you know, what, the reason why I bring this up is because I'm very certain that there are other people who are experiencing this, because I've engaged in many conversations, especially while coaching, where people are going through changes with their family, because they have now gone to college. Typically it doesn't have to do with them, per se, but it's the way that they're being perceived now, now that they return back home or back to their communities. So I think that's a really important piece that people probably should talk about more, if you've experienced it, because there's other people who are struggling going through it. And it's taken a long time to realize, like, why it happens that way. And I'm sure everybody's family dynamics are different.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

But what I ended up realizing is that I needed to, if they weren't going to necessarily change, the only thing that I could change is myself, and I needed to heal for them. And for the generations that came before, so I did a lot of really taking steps back to learn how to create boundaries, going and seeking therapy. And, you know, that wasn't looked, even though multigen and still wasn't like, oh my gosh, therapy is good. It's like, oh, like there's a stigma around it, there just is. But I realized that there's no way that I'm going to be an effective teacher, or, you know, educator in general, if you don't self care, and dealing with all the extra baggage of being a person of color, who's in education, that's heavy.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

And it does take having that support system to get through it. So I came from humble beginnings. My dad works in construction. And he would come to school when I was little, like totally in his construction, like he does concrete, so his boots and everything. And I was always so proud of him for showing up in these spaces. And he never thought twice about it, he would just come because I've asked him to be there and he was there. But as I got older, when I got into UC Irvine, I didn't realize how different the environment was gonna be very, very, I mean, this was before UCI was a Hispanic serving institution. I could go all day long without seeing anybody who looked like me.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

And I definitely got I mean, I got comments when I was little. Like, oh my gosh, your dad, he looks like a cholo. Like, is he? Like, you know, uh, yeah, I mean, every looks like what many probably is, like I read yeah, but what would what did you think my dad was gonna look like? Like, you know, because they see me being studious or academic. And even at times a nerd. Like, my dad doesn't look like me. And he doesn't have to end it, that stigma continued into college. But I think what was really important for me was, I was never going to be ashamed of my family. My dad worked really hard to get me there. And, you know, if you have a problem with it, but not something that you need to deal with. So in that way, I would say that I, it was a different experience because my husband's first gen, like, first gen, first gen, not

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

like a first gen in college and first gen in the US.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

So like his his parents were, it was a very different experience. Because, you know, I saw that there was like, a duality he with his parents because his dad had come from Mexico. He worked in the service, restaurant industry. Him coming into these spaces, it was like, oh, your dad, how sweet. Where mine because he looked the way that he did people were like, oh, you know, like he's scary. So, because of all these experiences, it's always been really, really a big part of what I do is to give back to the formerly incarcerated, and to make sure that our Latino males also have support because I've been very fortunate as a Latina to have supports to see other Latinos. I mean, there might not be a ton of us, but there's a significant amount where like, I don't feel like I've never seen one.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

But whereas I see, like my husband, and other Latinos, there's a lot fewer representation models for them. And although I can't be a Latino male, I could at least create space for them, so that they feel comfortable in my classroom, and they feel comfortable seeking support. So that's all that's a little side thing that I always like that they're big on my heart. And I hope that there's my goal, at some point with having my husband be a part of the Latinx education coach is that he can run like male affinity groups, at some point where they have someone who you know, shares their common background. So that's the goal.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

Right now, a lot of the Doctoras that I work with are just women, and that's great. I'm so excited to have them. But I'm sure that there's males, and they're not like showing up for support. And I'm like, where are they? We need to find them. Um, so that's definitely on my heart as a next step in the future. So, but that's a little bit about my background. It was it. It was an interesting, I think growing up in like the 90s 2000s, it was just very different. In our experience, going to college, because I feel like the diet, the demographics have changed significantly. But yeah, I talked to some sorority members at UCI recently, and they're feeling a lot of the same things that I felt. So I mean, it's not over, it's getting better, at least you could see other people who look like you on campus, but a lot of those same struggles are there. And that's why we're here to do the work that we do.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Yeah, I was gonna say the demographics may change, but the culture shirt doesn't. And you know, white supremacy continues to be a thing even that HSI is. So yeah, it's important to have folks like us to have more representation to have more support. And then I'm glad that you actually mentioned kind of your experience with, you know, the discrimination that you felt just based on the way that you father looked and wanting to support kind of formerly incarcerated individuals, I really do think there is this movement that's growing because I worked with formerly incarcerated students when I worked for the McNair program, and I had students who were working on the underground Scholars Program and kind of trying to like, trying to develop it into a network to develop programs across the UC and hopefully nationwide.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

So I think it's, it's a thing, and it's happening, and we need more of it. And I'm glad that we have folks like you, and myself and just all these other folks who are willing to be there for them and to Yeah, shed light on that, too. So I just want to do a quick shout out to Flaco and Gilbert, who my former students, they might be listening to the podcast, just to say that we've got people out there, like the other Ludo who, you know, are happy to provide support. So thank you for sharing a little bit more about your, your backstories. So today, you want it you are on the podcast to talk about academic writing. So I wanted to ask you a little bit more about that about you know, why this topic? Why is this, you know, important to you? And, and yeah, you know, what would you like to share with with the audience about academic writing and how to prepare for for writing.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

So I talked about my dad, because they knew that we were going to talk about this, and my dad has always struggled with literacy. A lot of the men in my family have and to surpass your parents, literacy levels very early on is a is a unique experience. It's bittersweet because it's like a like you're academically achieving. But at the same time, it's like, you almost feel bad, because it's like, I don't want to go beyond my parents. But they end up leaving you because you're able to access things that they can't because you're more literate. So after I got into teaching, and really started learning more about the research on literacy rates, etc.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

I was very taken aback by how many people who were incarcerated had very limited literacy levels. And that really pushed me to want to get into teaching English. Originally, I had been in science, which was awesome, I learned. And I definitely use a lot of that background when I teach English. But it wasn't my passion. And I knew that originally back in the day when I was at UCI, I thought I was going to be a lawyer. That is not what ended up happening. George, actually, my husband was also pre law. And we are both now teachers. Wow, that's a very big switch. But it always because a mentor of mine knew how passionate I was about seeking. Like, originally, if I would have done this law thing, I would have been in criminal justice and I really wanted to seek justice.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

And my mentor at UCI was like, Well, why don't you consider education? Because you can get to these kids earlier, you can, you know, be of more service, if you got to them younger than if you got to them already in trouble. And I was like, well, that makes sense. So then I considered it and I did teach. And I was placed in science because there was a need for science. And I happen to have enough credits that I qualify. And I was like, so I ended up in science. But the truth is, English is where my heart was. And knowing that literacy rates are super important. That's been my passion and trying to get my students to be as strong in their reading, writing and speaking as possible.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

Now, let's fast forward, I've been doing this, I've been in education for 14 years, I started at 21. It's been a long time. And now I've been able to see how critical writing is at every single step of career as well as schooling. If you want to get from high school to college, you got to write a personal statement, you want to get a college to grad school, you got to write a personal statement, they may even ask for resume, you want to go beyond that, you know, you got all these more these things coming. resumes, cover letters, personal statements, your master's thesis, your doctoral dissertation, all of these writings that are so critical that your future hinges on.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

And in my experience, going to seek support from writing centers, one agency at one person who looked like me, too, if I got Hello, like, they would tear my paper up. And I would see like, oh my gosh, it's all red, which is overwhelming. And then too, they're telling me like, for example, you're ending in a prepositional phrase? Well, it's a prepositional phrase one and two, how do I fix that? So you're telling me that you're, you're explaining what it is, but you're not telling me? Like, what does that actually mean? And how do I fix it. And that became extremely frustrating. I felt like seeking the supports and having them do that, to me just didn't get me out of the rut that I was in. And I thought that was what I felt as an undergrad.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

So now like that I'm much older, it's like, yeah, cuz they didn't teach it, they didn't, they're not going to teach you how to do these things, you're not going to actually fill the holes in your knowledge. They're just gonna say what it is. And it's up to you to either one go teach yourself, or to go back to like a remedial class or something like that. And who has time for that? Sometimes you just need someone who's going to help get you unstuck and show you how to do that.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

So that's really idea of the Latinx education coach came through. I was like, you know, one, I know that more people need to have access to someone who looks like them and potentially shares their background, who knows how to write, that can give them editing services, but not only editing services if they need, like actual coaching, like let me show you how to make your writing better. I could do that as well. We started a year ago. At first I was like, you know what, even if one person comes, at least we helped somebody. And I was very surprised when we opened up that we would have such a following. Very early. Like in one year. I have had clients every week. And it's been really amazing to see like wow, like we were really needed. And people who I've met, like it's definitely not a transaction type relationship. It's we've actually get to know them and see them do whatever it is that they're trying to do.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

So if they're applying to grad school, they'll follow up with Hey, we got in or whatever. And if they're like applying for the job, same thing. We're building these relationships And I hope that it's not just like, Hey, doctor, they'll model edited for me, but also like, I know how to fix this big issue in my writing so it can get, so I can be stronger. It's that whole idea of like teaching someone how to fish versus just giving them the bread or giving them a fish. I'm mixing up two variables. You know what I mean? Like we got to, I got to. But yeah, it's been so like, now, the Latinx education coach not only does editing services, but we provide workshops.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

We recently did a 3 day seminar, collaborating with Therapaz counseling and a bunch of other really amazing Latinx mental health and academic leaders that are on social media to host this what I wish I knew during college seminar, and that was awesome. We've done an in person retreat, and they've all been awesome experiences. And we've had, like, literally three partner organizations reach out that want to partner with us for this upcoming year.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

And it just feels like a really big blessing and affirmation that like we're definitely needed, because I don't know how many times I've sat in a meeting and have listened to someone teach me something, where I'm like, one, you're not even of that background, to like, I don't really understand how you know this better than I do. When I lived it. Like, we couldn't be up there giving this presentation, we'd be up there leading. And that always bugged me, like, as a teacher, like, oh, I was like, these workshops should be like, hosted by ourselves. So I'm like, Well, you know, I can't just see that we have to be about it.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

So that's hopefully what we're able to do with the Latinx education coach be able to take up the spaces that should be coming from people who have that background knowledge, who have that experience. And luckily, we've had people who are willing to take a chance on our small business and invited us to lead these workshops and, and they've been good. And our feedback from them has been like, it's been very heartwarming, because I'm like, Man, yes, like we're doing this is, this is why I got into teaching, this is why I got into education was to make sure that we're having an impact on our community.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

That's really awesome. It just reminds me of also similarly, like, that's why I do what I do with, you know, the academic coaching with doing workshops and talks, it's, it's the connections that you make with people, it's the feedback that you get the way that I feel like I always get a high off of every opportunity. And it's like, not only are you giving back, but they're like giving so much to you as well. So that's really awesome that the it's been a year and already you've seen kind of so much growth and that there continues to be a need.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

And like you I've had similar experiences where I've gone to things I'm like, you don't look like me, you don't talk like me, you don't explain what you mean, I am going home and Googling things instead. And just out of that frustration, of constantly having to look things up myself, not like not understanding acronyms, not just feeling like they spoke another language even though they were speaking English. Out of that frustration and kind of wanting to start the podcast wanting to demystify a lot of things about higher ed about academia that I didn't come easy to me. So I think we share in in that kind of frustration, which has led to our projects and businesses.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

So one thing I want to mention is that this podcast episode is coming out the week of, of Christmas Eve, and I know that some folks might not be able to take a full winter break, they might have grad school upset, they have to finish a thesis or dissertation that they're still working on. And so writing continues to be a thing like you said, it's never really going to go away, you're always going to need to write whether it's for an application or something that comes up, you know, throughout your career. So what kind of advice might you give to folks who have some writing to do on the holidays how to prepare for that, how to tackle it, as they try to balance that with the holidays.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

So I think everybody when it comes to academic writing, everybody is different. So please, number one, do not compare yourself to anybody else. Only you know yourself. I was that kid in the middle of big family parties doing homework, but I liked it. Like I liked knowing everybody was around me doing their thing. I could see them, but I could also focus in right. Not everybody's like that.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

Some people need to just be in the room by themselves where it's quiet. So be honest with yourself about what kind of writer you are. If you can be in the mix and write then do it. If you know that you're better off by yourself. For somewhere where it's more quiet or quieter than what I suggest is try to write before the function. So if you can knock out like an hour or two before the function go to the function because your brain needs a brain break. You cannot, you don't know how many people by me who are trying to pound it out. And like one day, and it's like, that's not how writing works. If no one's told you that, or you have not accepted that yet, you need to understand that it comes in waves.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

So when you feel like you have the ability to write right, when you don't, that's a sign that you need to unplug, go hang out with your family recharge, and then come back to it when you're ready. Sometimes I would do it in the morning, I would go to the party and have fun. And if I still had a little bit of energy, I would come back and knock out like another hour or two. Because I tend to really like writing either in the morning, or super late at night. I'm a night owl.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

And even as an editor, these are things that I do like editing is the same ideas I have to read add to understand what this is doing, and then start cleaning it up. I like to do this in different parts of my house. So if you need to move around, that's also totally normal. So number two, it's okay to move spaces. So if you like writing on your couch, right on your couch, and I know a lot of people like they glamorize writing the process, like oh, I have this beautiful desk, oh my gosh, yes. And videos because I'm like, I don't write beautifully, like,

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

I write everywhere, and it's a mess.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

It's never pretty, like I'm writing on the couch with pillows all over our, I'm like, on my bed,

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

I got my kid yelling on the side.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

I was like, that's not real life. So I hope that like if I could just go any, you know, false ideas of writing. Number two is like it's okay to move around. And three is it's okay if your space is not cute. And I would see it sometimes if you are stuck, the last tip I would give you especially during the holidays, if you're like man, I just can't write. A couple of things that I would do is like organize, if you can organize yourself, that'll at least get you cleaned up so you can rate. That's an example of like what you mean by get organized.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

Yeah, so like if your space is cluttered, and you're like, Ah, it's just like driving me nuts, then cleaning, that's fine. The other idea with organizing is if you have a bunch of files on your desktop, if you have like, say if you're in the middle of dissertation writing and you're like oh my god, I just can't write one more word, then maybe it's time to start cleaning up your bibliography. Maybe it's time to like, make sure that your articles are better organized in Zotero, or whatever format you're keeping them organized. There's other little tasks you can do that are still chipping away at the process, but it might not necessarily be writing. So organization looks different.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

Some people I've known people that like hardcore, start baking, and it just makes them feel better. And then they get into writing. There is no right or wrong way. But it just really being honest and in tune with yourself. Like what is it that you need. So you can at some point, get back to writing. Because otherwise you're going to be miserable. And writing shouldn't be I mean, yes, there are moments when it's like you just have to do it. But for the most part, especially for my dissertation and master's thesis people listening. It's a long journey. So you cannot make it miserable, you will be unhappy for a really long time.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

So things that make it a little happier, making sure you go to those family functions. I never missed one while I was writing my doctoral dissertation, but that meant that I planned for that. So I would say okay, well, your that's your treat, I'm going to write these days, and then that's my fun time and I'm free. And I just knew that my brain couldn't handle going any harder than that. That's that's, that's too much. It's just physically, mentally and emotionally not healthy. You need to make sure that you're interacting with other people and are isolating. So I hope that that helps over the holidays. If your heart's like just needing family, or needing friends or those connections, please connect with them. Because the writing will be there when you're done. And at least if you nourish your soul, you'll come back to it in a better spirit.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Those are really great words of advice, which actually leads me to the second to last question, we're getting ready to wrap up. As you know what what other kind of tips or advice or words of wisdom would you want to share with any of my listeners who they're predominantly in undergrad or in grad schools and undergrad thinking about going to grad school or in grad school trying to wrap up their masters or continue on with their PhD programs.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

if writing is an area that you would like to get stronger in the tips of advice that I would give you that I used. And mind you this was without going to a writing center, because I just didn't feel like that was going to meet my need. I actually started voluntarily writing for a blog. So back in the day was called Being a Latino blog, I think they've now changed their name. But I was writing for them. And I was in awe, some opportunity to get my writing edited on a weekly basis by Latinx editors that I knew were giving me feedback that was going to help me and what's really inspiring about that is the main editor ended up becoming a PhD from Columbia, and now as a professor at UCI, which is my undergrad. So like, we still follow each other on social media. And I love seeing all the things that she's doing.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

But I had to tell her, I was like, I hope, you know, like what a significant impact you had on me. Because getting that regular editing from somebody that I felt comfortable receiving that feedback was a big deal. The other thing is I had started a blog, a long time ago, it no longer exists, but I use it as an opportunity to just practice writing. So if writing really is something that you feel like you want to continue to get better at, you just need to find avenues. And they don't always have to be serious, they could be creative, like a blog.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

But if you see it as an opportunity, this is my way of like continuing to strengthen my writing skills, the more you write, the better you are. And I know there's a lot of people who are entering graduate school and are like, man, I need like academic writing support. How do I do that? Um, my goal is to have writing workshops at some point, because I know that that's what everyone's asking for. And I'm like, Yeah, I don't really see like many people, like you could go on Khan Academy, and that's free. And I mean, I would say if you have nothing else, like definitely check it out. The only bad thing is they tell you like they teach they teach you grammar from the beginning to the end. And not everybody needs every single piece. I really am trying to narrow down what are the biggest things you need to be able to be a better academic writer. And I promise you that is something that I'm working on.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

But for now if you have nothing look at Khan Academy. I also encourage you to look up grammar questions on Grammarly Girl or Grammar Girl. Her stuff is pretty good. Bye. But really yeah, unfortunately, it's like a lot of self teaching that I found, it's not really anybody holding your hand for my doctoral students. So if you're listening, or even masters if it if this applies to you, and the my businesses way of giving back is that I coach for free, twice a month, anyone who's a doctoral student or a master's student in writing, so I give you one writing lesson. And these are all lessons that I feel are like the most important that will really make a difference in your writing. And we do this twice a month, same topic, just we have one meeting on Thursday and one on Saturdays, because I know people's schedules need a little bit of flexibility.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

But that's been really helpful, because that's where I'm like, that's the way that I'm testing out all of my writing, plus, I live giving back. And that's how we're building community. But at some point, a lot of what I'm teaching in this, I hope to put into a full blown workshop. But if you need help, now, you can jump into our coaching group totally free, no strings attached.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

It's just so we have a space to be able to build community because, as you know, Dr. Martinez Vu, is that we only have 1% of all doctoral degree holders, as Latinx. And so we didn't get as many of these people who are doctoral dissertation students from ABD to complete. And that's how I hope to be able to support by getting them through these writing hurdles. And I think just hearing from other people say like, what they're going through or how they organize themselves, or you know, same thing like what am I gonna do over the holidays when my family wants my attention, and I have to write all those conversations we can have in the safe space. So if you'd like to join, you're more than welcome to.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

So that that is amazing. That's so awesome that you do that. I might like try to do something like that or just chat with you to be like, Hey, can I join because I love that. I think a lot of folks are in need of support and they need more than just like listening to a podcast. As a reading a book they need like live someone that they can ask a question to.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

I would not mind teaming up with you.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

I actually didn't know as much about your your coaching. I think I was familiar, but I didn't know that that was what you focus on. And that's what a lot of folks come to me for it so funny, like, it's not something that I'm really like, actively doing kind of marketing or outreach for, but a lot of folks come to me for academic coaching on their writing, like they need someone to show them how to do the things they've needed someone to teach them the rules, and not just say, this is this, this is this and they need someone to support them and tell them what they're doing right to. So it's just nice to have some because of my background.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

I have a bachelor's in English literature, my PhD is in theater. So I'm a humanist, I've been doing writing, you know, I worked, you know, at a scholarship center, helping people with their, with their essays, and just have been really committed to helping people with their writing. So I think we have a lot in common and I would love to include your link. So you know, the links to how to sign up for your free coaching sessions, and the other resources that you shared, like grammar girl like Khan Academy, so that folks can, who are, you know, really interested in strengthening their writing, I think it's a skill that's going to be with you for the rest of your life.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Like, I don't regret getting my, you know, degrees in the humanities, because I feel like it just keeps kind of coming back. And helping me with every stage of my kind of career transitions. And I know for you too, because you're, you know, you've got your teaching English actually and in high school, and then you're doing the workshops, and then you've got your business so you've got a lot.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

And I have a baby, she's seven months, she just turned seven months.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

sees little Oh, my my baby, I have to but my baby baby is one. So you have a seven month old? Oh my goodness. Yeah. We could chat about that separately. That's a whole other thing.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

Thank you. We've been busy but it's been good. And honestly, like, it means a lot to hear someone else who's also doing writing like a, I always say there's like, not enough of me. Like, I know what I was certain point. I meet capacity like, and I think that's what's really important. Like for anyone who's potentially listening like, hey, I'm I want to do that someday, like, there are definitely there's room for more people at the table. I really hope that and our future Latinx education coach can grow to bring on other people to work with us.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

Because I know at a certain point, like I'm not gonna be able to service everybody. And I you know, and that's exciting. Like, I want to make sure that we're investing in bringing on more people and, you know, letting them be learn how to become the strongest editor writers that they could be. So I really look forward to at some point growing my team, but I am always open to collaboration. So if there's ever anything that you think that we could tag team I would definitely.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

I'm sure we could totally. Yeah, I'm happy to collaborate on a workshop. That's like my jam. I love doing workshops. That's what I did like every week with my first job. I just like I was for me, I was working with McNair for close to five years, and then left that position in August to pursue Grad School Femtoring full time and move my family abroad and we're leaving soon.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

So by the time this podcast comes up, I'm gonna be like, there. I'm gonna be on the other side of the world. But yeah, so it's moving to Portugal.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

Oh my gosh, how excited.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

I know, I'm excited. And I'm also really nervous. Yes, please. Oh my god, the offer is there, en serio, like, seriously, if you want, like, you should come visit.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

How long is your family supposed to be out there?

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

How long are we going to be there? Um, technically, we're gonna see if it's going to be a permanent move. So we're gonna try it out for a year. And then if it doesn't work out, we're gonna come back to the States. If it does work out, we're gonna stay and you know, after five years of residency you can apply to become EU citizens. So, so exciting. Aver como nos va.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

I don't know I don't know how it's gonna go. I'm a little nervous. But, but this is kind of what I'm trying to pursue at least for a year. I'm going to try Grad School Femtoring. I haven't really been putting as much time and energy toward it to do it full time, but I'm hoping once our transition is fully done, I'll be able to pursue this full time and take on like I said, collaborations workshops, more coaching. And, you know, keep doing this, like the podcasts, I've got a blog that's new. So just the more I can kind of expand and collaborate with others, the goal is to support as many people as possible without depleting myself.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

I am very excited for you actually had taken an ancestry test, so that I was like 16% Portuguese

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Now way, most of us have indigenous and Spanish blood, but you came out Portuguese.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

I have like, I'm literally half Native and half Spanish, Portuguese, and I was like, orgies, but it was like significant. I was like, Oh my gosh, now I gotta go to Portugal and see what it's all about.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Wow. So that'll be fine. Yeah, now that I know this, it will be like, come come visit.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

Wow, this is exciting. Thank you so much.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

And one more thing, one more thing. Getting close to wrapping up. I don't want people to miss this. So folks really kind of want to connect with you and resonated with what you shared. How can they be in touch sunny and social media handles you'd like to share?

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

Yes. So if you would like to be in touch, definitely follow my Instagram. It's at Latinx education underscore coach. So it's like literally this just with an at in front of it. And then on Facebook, same thing. It's Latinx education coach. And we do have a website. It's getting revamped, but it's still there, like the informations all there, but we're getting a prettier one. But for now, it's www.Latinxedcoach.com.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

So yeah, there's definitely multiple ways to connect with us. But following our Instagram, Facebook, you'll be able to see like, what workshops we're providing all that good stuff not gonna lie, I took a break this month from workshops, because we just through that really big three days seminar. But we're still open to coaching and editing, just taking a little pause on the workshops, till I can get a little more time to plan the next one.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Ynderstandable. Yea.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

You don't want to deplete yourself for family, for yourself. And I like to model that on social media, like, I do do a lot. But you know, when I gotta cut back, we gotta cut back. It's just what it is. And I think being honest about that is helpful for other people who are like, how do I, like you just got to do it.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Yeah, and I love that you said that that is not just, that's not just you taking a break. It's also modeling it for others. So I think that's important too, as I tried to take it easy this last month, too, and hopefully revamp things also coming in the new year. So I will include your social media handles and your website on the show notes for sure. So a lot of fun chatting with you.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

By now we know we have all this in common. So I definitely look forward to keeping in touch and I am excited to see what grad school Femtoring continues to do. I mean, you're definitely needed.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

I'm still trying to figure it out.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

I wish I had that resources when I was going through the dissertation process. Um, but I also like, you know, all of us taking these spaces on social media to highlight academics in our community, I think is just so important. Like it's good to see a bunch of faces doing this. It's it's encouraging, and I think it just it really changes the narrative about what academics look like.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

Like we all are academics, there's not one look and you know, we have different personalities, different interests, different backgrounds, we could all potentially be Latinx but it doesn't mean that we've had the exact same experience, but yet we have so much in common. So definitely look forward to continuing getting to know each other better. And hopefully, you know, I'll see you in Portugal.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Hey, you said it, you said it. Alright, thank you so much.

Dr. Ces’Ari Garcia-Del Muro

Bye