Rachel Wifall

I am a caucasian woman. While I would say that my current circle of friends and associates is quite diverse, I grew up in a predominantly white, middle to upper-middle class community. My European ancestors were farmers and blue collar workers who came to the United States well over a hundred years ago. Their ethnic traditions were not actively maintained over the years, outside of religion; if I were to choose a community with which my family closely identifies, I would say "we are Lutherans." I call myself "American," but I have always been highly interested in different cultures and therefore have traveled widely, have studied three foreign languages in school (French, German and Russian), and know quite a bit of Spanish through my frequent interactions with Spanish speakers--including my niece, whose mother hails from Ecuador.

While I am obviously part of the dominant racial and ethnic population of the U.S., I have always identified strongly with my subordinate status as a woman. I was a precocious child in the 1970's who was well aware of the Women's Rights Movement, and I tried to show at every stage of my life that I could keep up with the boys and men--especially in academics.

Professor Rachel Wifall, G.O. Team: Dominican Republic