Jacky Sam

Section A02

Response 2: "Fight the Tower: Women of Color In Academia" and "Fight the Tower: A Call to Action for Women of Color in Academia"

After reading Professor Valverde's "Fight the Tower: A Call to Action for Women of Color in Academia",  I now have a different perspective on my education. It has opened my eyes to the truth of universities, and how trending towards corporatization is affecting the quality of my education in addition to my opportunities in the work force. As I look at these statistics for women of color, a slow 50% growth over a ten year gap, am I just setting myself up for failure?

"We know that those that look like us can also hurt us." We already know that universities have already turned their backs on women of color, which increases competition among peers to the point where they can't even trust anyone. So where is trust invested in?

Professor Valverde is right; there are no "solutions" to fighting discrimination in academia. We have to trust our instincts and most importantly, educate ourselves, in order to move forward. Ignorance of the oppressed is just another gain for the oppressor.

Question:  Even those with strong voices are being ignored. What are other "solutions" that can be used to fight discrimination in academia?