KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Melody Hawkins' love for teaching started with her first teacher.
"Gentle and warm and nurturing," she said as she reminisced about her childhood.
She's talking about her mother who was also an educator too. She taught history.
"Any one who knows my mother would describe her as a wise outspoken teacher," she said.
Hawkins said her own journey through school included teachers from all walks of life and for her that mattered.
"They helped me navigate a world where people of color are not treated equally, they helped me find my voice," she said.
She is now using her voice to advocate for a new generation.
"For many of my students I have been their first black teacher and I teach 8th grade," Hawkins said.
Lack of diversity in school districts is an issue across the country. In Knox County the most recent teacher demographics show only 3.4% of teachers are African American and 1.5% are Hispanic or Latino.
"I would like to see more pathways for recruiting, licensing and retaining teachers of color," Hawkins said.
But for this science teacher, the benefits of change is about more than the numbers.
"When my students of color see me...I can tell that they see themselves." Hawkins said. "I believe that is one way to develop a more culturally aware society that's capable of dismantling social and racial inequality."
Though KCS has launched some diversity initiatives, for Hawkins the work continues. On Friday the school district shared this letter on its Facebook page, sharing some programs launched this year.
"You don't have to be a person of color to realize the impact teachers of color have on student success," Hawkins said.
For now, Hawkins' passion is still rooted in her students and the woman who taught her everything she knows, her mom.
"Watching her demonstrate these qualities shaped who I am as a teacher," she said.