Pictured: Nineteenth-century Black female equestrian, Selika Lazevski (1891)

As we build the world we want to live in, how we identify ourselves and one another is an important discussion to have, with our students, our colleagues, our administrators, and ourselves. For many of us, it is a lodestone that shapes our experiences. It affects the research we do, the decisions we make, and how safe we feel to share our voices or ideas.

As our current administration is navigating the language it prefers to use when referring to the fair treatment of all people, I think it’s important to mention the ways in which I have worked towards this goal for the improvement of people of all backgrounds. I believe that direct action is the most powerful way to demonstrate our commitment to one another. I reject the idea that society is on a march toward only progress; instead, change works on us like a tide that ebbs and flows. When we see ways to improve our treatment of one another, it is our responsibility to seek them out and dismantle harmful practices when we can. This is a long project that nevertheless requires a spirit of urgency. As someone with access to a wealth of knowledge, I consider it a privilege and a responsibility to seek out information that helps me to understand always-evolving conversations about justice and power.

I believe that the production of knowledge is best when it is informed by a multiplicity of perspectives. Likewise, I am committed to amplifying voices in my classroom that have not traditionally always been encouraged to shine, and this shows up in my curriculum, in my service, and in my research. I have big dreams for the future, but to see how I have carried out this commitment so far, see page two below.