Academic leadership needs to be more inclusive and diverse
I look forward to the day when academia more fully lives up to its promise as a place where people of all backgrounds, especially those who are currently not well-represented in faculty and leadership roles because of various ideological, institutional, and systemic barriers, are finally able to feel a true sense of belonging in the workplace.
I was born, educated, and raised in a predominantly White community in Nebraska. I am also a first-generation college student. Many years later, I continue navigating gendered and racialized realities as an Asian American woman leader in academia, which, like most other industries, has ideological remnants connected to our nation’s contested history of exclusion. Current and recent events should remind us of the power of representation, especially the extraordinary value that diverse leaders and professionals, including women of color, bring to historically and predominantly White workplaces.
I am fortunate to have had several outstanding mentors throughout my undergraduate and graduate education. Among others, Jody Neathery-Castro, James Freeman, Violet Harris, Gary Marshall, Yoon Pak, and the late Peter Suzuki, pointed me to opportunities that I once thought were impossible for people like me, including the professoriate. Their mentorship forever transformed my life’s trajectory, as well as thousands of other first-generation college students in significant ways. Thus, wherever I go, I strive to honor my mentors by continuing to pay it forward, especially in support of today’s incredibly talented first-generation college students.
Contrary to inaccurate and problematic stereotypes that families like mine are against gender equity and fail to fully support their daughters and girls/women due to cultural differences, I am fortunate and grateful that my family has unconditionally encouraged me to pursue my boldest dreams. Specifically, my parents, who directly confronted racially derogatory treatment throughout their careers before they retired in the early 2000s, have encouraged me to bring my authentic self to the workplace unapologetically rather than feel pressured to assimilate to dominant expectations and norms.
I have now served as an academic leader for over 20 years and also support various nonprofit and professional organizations in other leadership capacities. However, even in the year 2024, I am still often the only Asian American woman and sometimes the only person of color in these spaces. I am keenly aware that many young people of color, whose numbers are increasing nationwide, especially in higher education, are closely listening to what I say and are watching what I do in these spaces. Therefore, I seek to model equity-conscious leadership in my daily practice, where people from diverse backgrounds are invited to meaningfully contribute to critical conversations that directly influence how I approach challenges, opportunities, and problems, and ultimately, make decisions for a greater good.
