I’m chewing on some thoughts and feelings about ways white people, men & women, insert themselves and/or are sought out to become deflectors or enforcers in ways that create/deepen chasms within & among URMs in white dominate spaces/industries
Jr scholars ABSOLUTELY should have diverse mentor armies that support, champion, introduce, and offer advise. It’s amazing when White & proximite colleagues assist URMs. That’s critical and important. Please also recognize the importance of giving hard truths, too
Y’all are awesome at cheerleading & that’s important for building confidence. when it comes to giving Hard truths, critical evaluations to URM students, y’all fall off that this Tho. White liberal folks especially - y’all really fail at this.
Navigating the passively & actively aggressive landscapes that include college, grad school, internships, post-grad opps, etc for URMs often includes a LOT of hidden traps/expectations that White colleagues don’t see, recognize or grok. Even you “Woke Ones” don’t see it
As a result, sometimes y’all enthusiastic support for URMs is often incomplete - it’s missing something: a critical lens that includes “Knowing how shit look” & “Knowing how shit really goes down”, key intel they deserve & could really use. I know from experience
With this in mind, have my White colleagues, asked your URM mentees if they have any senior URM faculty/professionals have reached out to? Tried to build a relationship with? Careers that they follow.
It could be that these students don’t know who or how to reach out
It could be that these students don’t know who or how to reach out
But I’m thinking a/b colleagues you have an established relationship with. If you have a trusted WP/POC ally relationship, then have you tried, tried to introduce your URM student mentees to those colleagues? These are potentially important bridges to help them build
I sometimes see white colleagues, WW in particular, applauding trainees #onhere who still have a lot to learn and I see no evidence of y’all giving them important, operational advice to be successful.
That concerns me. Big time. I worry about those students matriculation
That concerns me. Big time. I worry about those students matriculation
As an ally who is growing/ learning, it’s important to be mindful of is how your Whiteness works. For students who may have little/no experience recognizing implicit bias: they may be seeking out white mentorship over URM mentorship bc of the devaluation of Black/Brown Scholars
Also, they may seeking y’all out or intentionally not listening to Your URM colleagues bc of the emotional support y’all offer, That’s ok, but they need more. avoiding hard questions and/or people who would ask them those hard Qs ain’t really in their best interests.
As we (all) work to make these spaces for fair, equitable & welcoming, it’s important to acknowledge that they aren’t. The skills to survive & thrive grad school/post doc ain’t usually the same skills to reform/dismantle it...not while also doing your science. Ijs
