Week 1_Christine Chau_ A04

Fight the Tower: A Call to Action for Women of Color in Academia was very interesting to read because of the experience Professor Valverde had shared with all of us. These personal experiences either make or break someone, and professor Valverde was able to tell her story in order for us to better understand the injustices that happen in our systems. It saddens me to hear all the things that she  had gone through, but I know it had made her into a stronger woman today. One thing that really caught my eye while reading her article was "I naively struggled through invisible barriers looking more inward than outward, essentially blaming myself instead of recognizing the early signs of systemic wrongdoings" I think this line is very powerful and means a lot in our systems today. We often go through struggles and face many adversity that can hinder our success. Personally I know I would usually blame myself for things that don't seem right in life or feel like I can't do certain things and have an internal battle with myself, but maybe it isn't me. Sometimes it is the system itself and I think more people need to be aware of that. I don't have any personal experience that made me feel this way, but it is a good thing to keep in mind sometimes. 

The image I chose for this blog post was this image of a tree growing. I think it represents the article I read on Professor's Valverde experience. As she faced through the injustices based on her gender, race, and other factors, it helped her grow not only as a person, but as an influencer as well. She now can tell her story and use it as a way to inspire others to fight the tower as well. Reading the articles definitely taught me a lot about the types of systems people have to face everyday, whether it's a work or in their personal life. Being more aware of these issues and spreading my knowledge is one of the first steps into change. I guess an open ended question for me is that we are now more aware of the things that are going on in the system, but how do we actually make changes we can see from the minority perspective? I often feel like change that can actually matter and make a difference take years to develop, with lots of dedication and effort. What are ways we can speed that process as a student in college?

• Valverde, K. L. C. (2013). Fight the Tower: A Call to Action for Women of Color in Academia. Seattle J. Soc. Just., 12, 367.
• The importance of promoting personal growth in your employees. (2016, August 04). Retrieved from https://www.cuinsight.com/importance-promoting-personal-growth-employees.htm