Throughout the United States, the makeup of our student population continues to change, growing more diverse where our teaching populations grow stagnant and consist of White women. Can teacher preparation programs do more to meet the needs of their evolving student population? Unfortunately, few studies on teacher preparation programs can refute the need for teacher programs to evolve and change into more equitable and critically responsive programs. In this qualitative phenomenological study, I draw on interviews, field notes, course curriculum components, and preservice teacher voices to explore the Eurocentric elements of current teacher preparation. This research offers insight into the obstacles that preservice teachers face in regards to choosing and advocating for culturally responsive curricula and practices within their classrooms. The findings lead to recommendations for teacher preparation, ongoing teacher education, and a conceptual reworking of the importance of culture and identity in the classroom. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]