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Profesora Mendoza Díaz is a native Spanish speaker, born and raised in Mexico City. She received her M.A in Spanish Linguistics and Literature from California State University, Fullerton, and her B.A in Spanish Language from University of California, Irvine (UCI). Upon graduating, she had to remain in her previous job as a Pizza Hut Area Manager where she was tasked with supervising the financial literacy of 12 restaurants. Due to her immigration status, Profesora Mendoza had to place her dream, being a teacher, on hold until the DACA program became effective under President Obama’s tenure. Since 2014, she has been a lecturer in the Modern Languages Department where she has taught a variety of classes from Introduction to Hispanic Culture, Language acquisition classes to Interpretation and Translation. Over the years, she has implemented a student-centered learning environment. For her, learning in a classroom is achievable only through cooperative and collaborative work. As such, she’s carefully curated an honest and safe space with students, effectively creating a positive and enjoyable environment for all. During her time at Dominguez Hills, she has also served as Co-Advisor for students’ organizations, as a senator in the Academic Senate, and as a Co-President in the Faculty Union.
As a former DACA recipient, and as a first-generation student, she understands the struggles that many must go through to achieve a successful career path. Her research’s interest is on sociolinguistics with emphasis in bilingualism on first generation students. She is currently writing an autobiography of her struggles on the assimilation to the American culture as an undocumented student. During her free time, Profesora Mendoza Díaz enjoys traveling, playing soccer, hiking, and dancing cumbia, merengue, bachata, corridos, banda, and other musical genres. As a life-long activist, Profesora Mendoza Diaz subscribes to an ideology surrounding unity. She believes that it is only through unity that the “impossible” is entirely dissipated, leaving hope and progress in its place.