Cristina Musngi
Section 1
Week 2

Women of Color in Academia

"Fight the Tower: A Call to Action for Women of Color in Academia" by Kieu-Linh Caroline Valverde, tells us about the very real struggles that women of color face in the professional world. Through her own personal story, Valverde gives us the chilling truth about the obstacles for women and tells women how to take a stand and fight for what women rightly deserve.

As a woman of color, this article speaks to me because, while I knew women faced obstacles in the professional world, I did not realize how bleak the situation was. It was surprising when professor Valverde told us that Asian-American women were the least likely to be mentored when trying to reach a higher level in their professional work. The article clarifies that women of color are biased against and "perceived incompetent," which we know is just an idea perpetuated by the dominant group to maintain power. Valverde further explains how important it is for self-care, telling our stories, and making alliances are when trying to push for an idea, tenure, etc. I feel that this call to action and the advice of coming together collectively to further the status of women of color in academia is an important and inspiring tool for women.

In a society where racism and discrimination are still issues, why does it seem like women of color are more discriminated against than a man of color, at least with regards to academia?