As thinkers and citizens of the world we bring our identifies and experiences into every space we encounter. As an art educator I want my students to know that their unique identities are essential to the world. In my classroom, students will engage their experiences and knowledge to challenge ideas, create new insights, and build bold, critical thinking, working alongside students as collaborators and not as simple repositories for predictive information. The work students do in the art classroom gives them access to the relevant aspects of their lived experiences and perspectives, developing necessary and transferable skills that will serve them throughout their lives. As teachers we are guides, helping to build foundations for creative minds that act in harmony with the world they will one day lead.