Overcoming constant challenges such as racism and poverty is something David Medina, professor of sociology and philosophy, battled throughout his life. Now as a successful professor at Mt. SAC with four children, one son and three girls, Medina said, “I’m living the dream life, I love teaching; I love interacting with students.” Yet, it was not always like this for him. “Very early on I was aware of racial issues,” said Medina.
As a young Latino, Medina was continually encountering racial problems, even from home. Victims of racial prejudices themselves, Medina’s parents did not want their children to be subject to the same fate. Medina said that in order to not have accents, his parents attempted to teach his siblings and him to speak English only. Medina was also confronted with bigotry during high school. As a young adult attending school in Alhambra, he said he felt like a fish out of water.
“I was apparently fair skinned enough to pass- I have light colored eyes, many of my non-Latino friends would talk to me about ‘those Mexicans’ and I was one of them.” Medina did not let these issues defeat him in any way. After being accepted to Vanguard, a small liberal arts college in Orange County, he quickly worked his way up. In his first year of college Medina was voted by his peers as outstanding student of the year.
While double majoring in sociology and philosophy at California State University, Fullerton, Medina was chosen to be a graduate assistant. It was there that Medina decided he could make a difference. “Some of my mentors were bad examples and I thought I could do a better job,” he said. Medina was hired at the age of 24, while most of his colleagues were seniors, and has now been teaching for 35 years. Since then, his teaching methods have made his classes highly sought after.
Cierra Trevino, nursing major said, “It was my first class I ever took with him. I heard from a lot of people that he was the best teacher to take for the subject.” Medina said he tries to challenge students to think outside of the box.
“I really enjoyed Medina’s class, it opened my eyes to new ways of thinking that I would have never discovered otherwise,” Trevino said.
Medina has also been in the spotlight and praised for his work with students on a wider known level. He was on the hit Spanish television show “Cristina.” Medina was featured on an episode due to his work with Club Mex, a club at Mt. SAC. Medina would allow students to join him to help build homes and plant trees in Tijuana, Mexico. Medina managed to influence his students to better themselves, the community, and their environment. Through his outgoing attitude and unconventional lectures, it’s no wonder why students love his methods. Just ask 19-year-old business law major Alexa Cervantes.
“His outlook on life and people is one I try to mimic,” she said.
- Yvanna Hernandez
Staff Writer
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