INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & ACCESS (IDEA)
My personal view of diversity is directly linked to the concept of intersectionality. An intersectional view of diversity includes not only the ways that we differ through race, class, gender, socio-economic status, sexual identity and similar identities, but also how these differences overlap with one another and are influenced by the systems around us.
IDEA in Teaching
|
As a specialist in gender and intersectionality, the courses that I teach all have a focus on diversity. This includes teaching the concepts of intersectionality, participation, power, voice, agency, and systems of oppression. I integrate contemporary issues into my classes from the local to the global including the relationship between diversity and social justice and social responsibility. Throughout my courses, I purposefully integrate readings, videos, and podcasts from non-white and non-gender-binary authors. I incorporate diversity into class activities such as critical examination of current events and popular culture in relationship to power, privilege, and opportunity structures. I particularly enjoy teaching skills courses in which students learn about diversity across cultures, how to include those without voice and agency in empowering processes, and how to engage all people in participation.
|
Below is an example of one of my undergraduate classes, "Intersectionality in Conservation and Development."
Below is one of the core projects of the class focused on analyzing popular media for "representation." |
IDEA in Research
|
My years of experience working with indigenous groups in Honduras as both a Peace Corps Volunteer and a research led to my current research agenda, which focuses on understand systems and complex drivers of violence and migration, including the impacts of climate change, food insecurity, community cohesion, and community security on livelihood pathways. My research aims to investigate these complexities through the lens of social and environmental justice in order to develop interventions that address violence and migration through multiple pathways. My long-term plan as an educator and researcher, is to develop a service learning platform related to my research agenda. Concepts such as reflexivity, privilege, power, social justice, and human rights take on greater meaning when experienced outside of the classroom. I believe that such opportunities are integral in the formation of students as global citizens.
|
IDEA is a central part of my research platform. Below is an example of a scholarly peer-reviewed journal article with an IDEA-related focus - including the intersectional nature of gender, age, and poverty in Honduras, "Youth perceptions of violence in Western Honduras"
|
IDEA in Mentorship
As a mentor, I bring my own experiences to the discourse on diversity including my lived experiences, coping skills, communication skills, and how to challenge discrimination. I bring these experiences and skills to my students by being transparent about my own life, integrating skills training into my curriculum, and by dedicating myself to serving as an open and honest mentor and educator for all students.
