I am the oldest of my mother’s eight children. I was born into a Creole family in the 7th ward of New Orleans, LA. However, I was raised mostly in a few different parts of the City of Los Angeles, CA (mainly (i) Koreatown, (ii) Crestview on the Westside, and (iii) the Adams-Normandie area near USC); and parts of the County of Los Angeles, CA (mainly Rowland Heights and Pomona). Community College (Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, CA and Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga, CA) gave me an opportunity to pursue a college education. This after having had a pretty challenging upbringing, to say the least. Growing up I experienced domestic violence, poverty, homelessness (or, at times we were “unhoused”), family substance abuse, gang violence, drug dealing, instability (my family moved twenty-two times before I moved into my college dorm), and the confusion and uncertainty of being the first to attend college in my nuclear family. Thankfully, throughout it all, our mother was able to keep us together--she did her best and we had the help of many friends. So, unlike some of my peers, we never had to live in a group home or in foster care.

At some point in high school (John A. Rowland high school in Rowland Heights, CA), I vaguely remember a school counselor there tersely ask me whether I was considering attending college. I think that I simply said “no”. And that was the end of that. I didn’t know what college was about. And I don’t remember her explaining it to me. I then remember that at the end of my senior year, one of my peers was excited because they were looking forward to attending a 4-year university. I thought “Wow, we’ve been friends for four years and this is the first that I’m hearing about your plans to attend college.” It would have been nice if they had shared their plans. Maybe I would have been inspired to inquire about a future in college for myself. I then thought “Well, what am I going to do?” Then, one day at lunch time, about four of my football teammates and I were summoned (over the loudspeaker) to a room that was off in the distance and reserved for people who had to serve detention. It was where our head football coach had his office. When we arrived the head coach of Mt. SAC football was there. He wanted us to play football at Mt. SAC. It was at that very moment that I knew what I was going to do after high school.

That was 1989. So, to be clear, I went to Mt. SAC merely to play football, not to also further my education. However, in practice the week after scrimmaging against Riverside City College (in Riverside, CA) during the summer of ’89, I re-injured my knee (this turned out to be a completely torn anterior cruciate ligament and partially torn medial meniscus, which would later require reconstructive knee surgery.). So, I quit. I quit football and I quit school. Because school was just a means to stay eligible to play football.

After dropping-out of college for about two years, however, a couple of elder friends of my family counseled me to return to college. So, I took their advice and I got serious about higher education. I took several classes (e.g., psychology, sociology, zoology, computer science, air traffic controller, and real estate) trying to figure out what career path to pursue. I settled on becoming a lawyer. Then, one semester, while trying to figure out what undergraduate major to choose on my way to law school, and trying to satisfy transfer requirements, I took a couple of Western philosophy (philosophy) courses. I was instantly smitten. It was then that I began to dream about a possible future in philosophy. That dream never went away. And, fortunately for me, it would eventually come to fruition.

Fast forward. I gained early transfer acceptance to the University of La Verne where I would earn a dual bachelor’s in religion and philosophy. I later gained acceptance to the University of La Verne College of Law. There I completed 1.5 years of law school (I withdrew due to a family exigency). For five years I then worked at a then 150 year old, number one Wall street public finance law firm, in downtown Los Angeles (Hawkins Delafield and Wood LLP). After that, for eleven years, I owned and operated a small business (Ivan’s Hair Professionals in Rancho Cucamonga, CA). A business that I would later pass on to my sister.  In 2012, while still running my business, I returned to grad school for my Master's in philosophy at Claremont Graduate University. In 2015 I began my dream job of teaching philosophy as an adjunct, right where my higher education started back in the summer of 1989 — at Mt. SAC. I eventually went on to also adjunct at Rio Hondo college in Whittier, CA, and Chaffey college in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. Teaching philosophy as an adjunct was my cake, so to speak. In 2021 I landed a full-time, tenure-track position here at Santa Rosa Junior college. This was the icing and cherry on top. I am very grateful to be here.

If you are also a first generation college student, one who grew up with similar challenges (and who are maybe continuing to struggle now), or even someone who did not grow up similarly challenged but nevertheless wonder whether you belong in college, you’re exactly where you need to be. Your time in college can significantly help prepare you to achieve all of your goals and dreams in life. You belong here. Whatever your background. And I would love to help you. Whether you take a class with me, are taking a class with me, or just want to talk about philosophy or talk about some of the things that I've learned while navigating college and graduate school, choosing a career, working in the legal field, and/or owning a business, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me: itircuit@santarosa.edu