Even with the best intentions, the anti-racist actions you have planned for your lab can still have a negative impact on your Black lab members(if you have any). So please, don’t rush into action without planning, or rush into making statements without listening and learning. Let me give you an example. Members of my lab (white) suggested a book club where we read books about anti-black racism and white privilege, etc. As a Black woman i have known and lived with these systems my whole life. At Cornell, i taught classes and facilitated discussions..

I’ve been having discussions with my advisor and lab group about actions that can be taken so that Black graduate students (and other minorities) feel safe, welcomed, and supported. Here’s what I/we have come up with so far The first is a value statement to put on our lab website. This is so our lab has guiding principles that we all agree on and so that prospective members know where we stand. We will be having a meeting where we craft this statement together

This tweet and the mention of #impostersyndrome has sparked some reflection on my part that I’d like to share. #LetsTalk

Topic: imposter syndrome being used by groups who typically hold power in academic/professional spaces

https://twitter.com/c_m_stuart/status/1178213770872705024

I’ve always seen imposter syndrome used in spaces of underrepresented minorities which makes complete sense. I’ve also seen the term used by white academics specifically on here and i just don’t know how to feel about it.