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Had a freshman come into office hours today asking about grad school, PhD options, & teaching. At one point, he said, "There's a lot more to think about when you're first-generation. You know."
Might be my first time hearing a "you know" that was declarative 1/x
Might be my first time hearing a "you know" that was declarative 1/x
Indeed, I DO know.
Being first-generation isn't just a category or a box you check. You don't always get to turn that facet of your identity off. You carry it with you in the decisions you make because those decisions often affect more than just you 2/x
Being first-generation isn't just a category or a box you check. You don't always get to turn that facet of your identity off. You carry it with you in the decisions you make because those decisions often affect more than just you 2/x
Those decisions often affect your family & how your community is perceived. We often do not have the luxury of mistakes or half-done attempts when the opportunity presents itself (and rarely does it just present itself) 3/x
But at the same time, having had a handful of students now who have come in specifically b/c they wanted to hear from a POC like them has been one of the most redeeming parts in my academic journey so far. 4/x
Students who identify as POC deserve to have their concerns not only heard, but also seen as legitimate. They shouldn't always have to justify why certain obstacles are indeed obstacles or be told that they aren't being "realistic." Their reality may very well be different 5/x
So to hear a student tell me, "You know" with declaration & a small smile accompanied with a shrug just reminds me that as a woman of color, mere existence isn't just an example, but sometimes a reassurance of what is/could be possible. And THAT'S worth getting out of bed for 6/x
Or to hear a student say, "I've never had a Filipinx-American professor before. I didn't know we could do that" is both haunting & heartening
Who established that we couldn't do that? When did the occupation & the identity start to seem mutually exclusive? 7/x
Who established that we couldn't do that? When did the occupation & the identity start to seem mutually exclusive? 7/x
Hence why I am eternally grateful for scholars like @anthonyocampo @kevinnadal @ejrdavid who address issues of representation every single day by virtue of their existence in the world & in academia (& who have been reminders of the light at the end of the grad tunnel for me) 8/x
Part of what might get missed when representation isn't adequate is that students might slip through the cracks. The advising is invalidating or remiss. We might not even know what we were missing until too many bright minds are pushed out due to lack of support 9/x
When a student comes to me & says, "You know," as a POC, I will forever be damn proud to affirm that I DO know. I see you, I understand you on your own terms, & that is more than enough.
10/x
10/x
And this is not to say that POC profs should exclusively advise POC students or that POC students should only seek out POC profs. But to suggest that we miss quite a bit, both in number &quality of students, when the picture is incomplete. 11/x
