Page 39 - Exemplar_2019_Fall

Fall 2019
impact without conscious awareness It is is is tiring it it is is is is ongoing and we are are consistently re re re re exive The The emotional labor is is is is exhausting There are are times when enough enough is is enough enough We are are our authentic selves in in spite of the the the diminishment we we experience And there are times when we we enter contexts that give us freedom to express authentically We are encouraged validated understood We have encountered mentors and environments that foster
inclusion which fuels our authentic expression and and integration of of personal and and professional Self These
experiences are deeply
in uential to to our growth as we shift from context context to to context context They prepare us us for the con uence give us us us strength remind us us we we we we are are worthy we we we we belong we we we we matter we we we we are are a a a a a a work in in progress and our dedication to growth is enough The con uence where we simultaneously experience impact and navigate adversity is not universally present present but we inevitably drift into its its its pool It presents itself uniquely depending upon its its its surrounding contexts including but not limited to cultural climate positions of of power individual beliefs stereotypes and and speci c c c c c c acts of of discrimination So we we have learned and and we we continue to to stay alert ready to to enter the con con uence embrace its its impact navigate its its murky waters and move forward Our Our authentic Self follows us through even if it it it remains hidden within
Our Our goal is not to to leave authenticity
behind but shelter it it it until the the the moment we we feel power to to let it it breathe fully The problem is in in some ways we we are still waiting to grasp that power So much
is out of of our control in the context of of higher education there is is more risk without tenure And some aspects of our authentic selves are consistently at at odds with expectations There is is pressure to present in in prescribed
ways Experience in in in one context bleeds into another an an interwoven system As
we we merge further into our professional identities we we recognize a a need to to conform not only to to to survive in the system but hopefully to to change it from the the the inside out Then we advocate for other marginalized professionals so that they do not have to experience the the the the con uence in in the the the same manner that we did We advocate most vehemently for authenticity
This gives gives us us us hope It gives gives gives us us us reason to to negotiate if necessary to to to survive but it also gives gives us us us reason to to to speak up not censor our our authentic expressions to to model for our our students Our senses of Self are are largely validated in the the advocacy we are are able to do for other marginalized professionals clients and communities 39 CHI SIGMA IOTA EXEMPLAR