In response to calls to decolonize second language (L2) writing education, this poetic autoethnography traces one EFL writing teacher’s evolving language and literacy ideologies. It explores how a deeper understanding of diversity—beyond colonial categories—can reshape pedagogical practices and expand students’ identity options in the writing classroom. This study asks: What is it like for an EFL writing teacher to decolonize diversity? How might this process foster more inclusive, dynamic learning environments? Drawing on personal recollection and external data from an international college in Thailand—including fieldnotes, teaching materials, and student writing from 2020 to 2025—the study examines intersections of language, literacy, and identity. Findings suggest that a decolonizing stance enables students to engage more critically and creatively with their linguistic identities. By modeling how critical diversity can challenge colonial assumptions in L2 writing pedagogy, this work advocates for transformative teaching approaches that affirm multilingual, multicultural subjectivities and foster inclusive spaces for expression and belonging.