Week 1: Samantha Nguyen

After reading the article by Valverde, I realized that everyone has a story to tell and this article sheds light upon the struggles that women of color are faced with. I was surprised to see that types of torment and bullying she had to go through to get where she is today. As mentioned in the article, it aggravates me how women of color are tormented by even their own kind to have their opportunities sabotaged. Her record was more than enough to be deserving of tenure, yet was discouraged by her own peers to apply due to this divide within the Asian community. I found it interesting to read about the hierarchy of Asians since my mother had once mentioned it to me before. The Chinese indeed do have the most resources available to them, and at the other end of the hierarchy are the Vietnamese, Hmong, and Cambodian. Coming from a more privileged socioeconomic history suggests that one will have their voices heard more than another individual who does not come from a privileged socioeconomic history. I find it disheartening that we cannot prove ourselves with our own abilities and forget about our socioeconomic statuses, gender, race, disability, or motherhood. It’s heartbreaking to see that even if you need help mentally, it is deemed shameful, even by a psychology teacher. There should be no shame in having a disability in an environment that is supposed to support and aid. It angers me how those in the department would turn a disability into a weakness, ultimately claiming that a disability overpowers the ability to teach. It pains me to read that she was working while pregnant through lectures and dealing with a student who even made her fear for her own safety. The thought of being pregnant and having to deal with high amounts of stress is appalling and dreadful. It truly saddens me to tears to think that a woman must refrain from accepting Work Life accommodations to make herself be on the same level of competition with her male counterparts. I can imagine my own mother refraining from Work Life accommodations to keep her job, but it disheartens me, as her child, to think she would have to make a choice between a career and starting a family. At the end of this all, there are people in this world who desire to walk over one's dreams and achievements. We can only look out and stick together because we're all stronger together. 

Question: I can relate to the Imposter Syndrome and it has been an issue for my well-being for quite a while. Were you able to overcome the Imposter Syndrome? And if so, how did you cope with it and become more confident?  

References:

Imposter Syndrome [Digital image]. (2017, January 16). Retrieved September 30, 2017, from foundr.com

Valverde, K., (2013). “Fight the Tower”: A Call to Action for Women in Academia, 12(2), 367-419. Retrieved September 29, 2017.