This week’s reading focuses on the racism and unfair dynamic in the academia community. From various readings, it is clear that being judged by one’s color, accent and physical ability is a not a problem only in the United States, instead this is a worldwide problem. In “Killing Machine,” the authors explained various challenges educators of color face when they try to resist pressure, discrimination and other prejudices from people with power and also from peers. It is sad to read that many of the “peers” I am mentioning here a lot of the times actually face similar challenges and discrimination but do not speak up. Can we and should we blame them? I do not think so. I think it is crucial to understand the challenges many of them face, including family responsibilities, job security and etc. However, I think they should see this as a learning experience and understand that one day, they might be the one in the spotlight. With so many examples of discrimination in academia from readings and sometimes even from other professors around us, educators of color need to understand their rights under title IX as mentioned in the reading and seek help when needed. As a student, while I am typing this, I can’t stop thinking, how can I help? As students, we can be allies, but only to some extent since it is hard for students to approach professors about these issues, but being aware of these issues is important. I sincerely empathize with educators facing these problems and I guess the only thing I can do is to spread the world and use the lens I am seeing these problems to understand challenges an Asian student might face in school and in workplace in the future, and how to resist.
Thomas, G. D., & Hollenshead, C. (2001). Resisting from the margins: The coping strategies of Black women and other women of color faculty members at a research university. The Journal of Negro Education, 70(3), 166.
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