Week 1 - Thomas Tran, A01

After reading "Fight the Tower: A Call to Action for Women of Color in Academia" by Professor Valverde I was surprised that through all of her great accolades it took so long to receive her tenure. She faced discrimination and abuse within her own department and experienced self-doubt throughout her tenure process. I found it confusing that even though she had the support of her students and high ranking scholars throughout her "war" she never received her tenure. Which only shows that there the reason for her denial was not due to her being unqualified, but her being a minority and a women of color. The Asian American Power Hierarchy, was something I had never heard of until reading this article and being a Vietnamese-American myself, I completely agree with this. The Hierarchy idea that Asian Americans subconsciously view each other is a something that I do. Being a Vietnamese American and first generation college student myself, I could understand the cultural tendencies that she faced and the belief that Asian Americans children or all children require role models in their lives in order to believe that they can go to universities or professional schools in the future. I am glad to say that if it were not for my cousins pushing, guiding, educating me to attend a University I wouldn't be here today. They have shown me the right way to live life and the path to take in order to get there. 

Question:  Why is it difficult for women, especially women of color, to be seen as equals to men in academia or society?

References:

Valverde, K., (2013). “Fight the Tower”: A Call to Action for Women in Academia, 12(2), 367-419. Retrieved September 28, 2017.

Women Empowerment [Digital image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://scholarsacademia.blogspot.com/2015/04/women-empowerment.html