3 years ago this month…my world collapsed. Y’all. Not gonna lie. November 2017 was arguably the devastating month of my professional career. That month ranks in the top 3 worst times of my entire life across professional, personal, and all other contexts. Things got hopeless real quick. I had chosen to make myself vulnerable to rejection. Let’s just say the …
Vulnerability: not optional for social justice leadership Read More »
Before my Twitter account got hacked yesterday, I had posted this: “It’s not our students. It’s us. WE are the ones who desperately need critical reflection, intersectional race inquiry, and transformational social justice awakening. Us.” For decades I have watched colleges and universities trip over themselves to offer more diversity course initiatives, inclusive efforts, new …
Students are not the problem. We are: Anti-racism questions for your institution. Read More »
In summer 2020, I visited the (formerly known as) Robert E. Lee monument with my life partner. You can see Kent in this image, which gives you a sense of the size of this massive confederate tribute to white supremacy and hate. I chose to crop out Lee on his horse. This was one of …
white anti-racism & action to dismantle white supremacy Written after George Floyd’s murder. After weeks of struggling to figure out how to support the social justice movement for Black lives, ending police violence against People of Color, and working to dismantle systemic White Supremacy, I defined what I view as my most effective path as an …
A few weeks ago, I boarded a flight from Houston to Mexico City excited for a mini-vacation and a visit to Frida Kahlo’s home and museum (see pic). Passengers searched for seats while flight attendants closed baggage bins in preparation for departure. So far so good. As a possibly Latina woman stopped to claim the …
How NOT to be an Ally – Part 3 “Spoken-Language Microaggressions” Read More »
Scenario: We walk into the monthly faculty meeting expecting announcements, Dean reports, and lively discussion about academic policies. In our attempts to articulate potential consequences of a proposed course schedule change, I shared my concerns that the change would disproportionately harm our low-income students as well as those with full-time jobs, family responsibilities, drive commutes …
How NOT to be an Ally – Part 2 “He-peat, Re-white, and Amplification” Read More »
Students, faculty, and community members often approach me seeking advice on their quest to understand interracial encounters. For example, white women and white men tend to ask me to explain misunderstandings they have encountered with people of color. “Melissa, my colleague at work who is Mexican American, told me about a racist incident she experienced …
How NOT to be an Ally – Part 1 “Centering the Privileged” Read More »
Dear some white feminist friends, I write this to you sincerely, from a genuine space of calling in. While I may feel anger towards you at times, my intention is not to fill the space between us with that anger. My wish is to use the flame of that emotion to ignite our mutual awareness, …
An Open Letter to (some) White Feminist Friends: by Indu Viswanathan Read More »
How many of us think of our courses as intersectional? Yet, are we truly living up to the theory of intersectionality when it comes to pedagogical structure, design, implementation, and assessment? Are we honestly taking the time to consider how our very presence in the room might alter the environment? Of course, making all of …
Educators are People, Too: Reflecting on Social Location in the Classroom Read More »
-Portions of this blog borrowed from “Intersectional Pedagogy: Complicating Identity and Social Justice” (Routledge 2017) As a Doctor Who fan, I frequently integrate my academic thinking with Time Lord philosophy. One of the most famous lines from the show consistently follows when any new traveler enters the TARDIS, which is the doctor’s time and space …
