An idea that Unearthing Joy references that stands out is the advocacy of the pursuit of identity in education. For my undergraduate psychology research, I conducted a study on identity and how it influenced one's perception of themselves and of their environment. I was amazed at how many identities someone can have. Unearthing Joy declares that "we don't just have one identity, but layers of them" (Muhammad, 2023). Unearthing Joy also declares that "identity isn't static" (Muhammad, 2023). Someone can have a political identity, a religious identity, a racial identity, a kinship identity, and so on. These identities are not mutually exclusive, so someone can have all of the identities forementioned at the same time. There is not only diversity in a community of people, but there is even diversity within an individual as well due to all of the identities that they hold.

Interestingly to me, I am interested in the fluidity and social influence of identity that Muhammad depicts. Each person has a biological and environmental root to their identity. I noticed firsthand how partaking in socialization has influenced my identity. For instance, when I was in college, my identity gradually conformed to the identities of my peers that I surrounded myself with. However, my identity transformed after moving back to rural Ohio during the Covid lockdowns. The difference between my religious and political identity from my teenage self to my 23-year old self is night and day. This encapsulates the fluidity of identity. It is crucial for educators to understand this fluidity because we should cultivate an environment that helps students explore and find their identity. Educators have the power to either hinder or blossom the fluid nature of the students' identities. One of my elementary school teachers incorporated journaling and self-reflecting into our daily routine. This helped us pinpoint our interests, our anxieties, and our identities throughout the year. I find the journaling method very intriguing to implement in my own routine.

1. Do you agree with the above statement?