Relationships
Even though we can pick the family we are born into we can create the family that brings us joy. Meaningful relationships that take time to develop and require constant nurturing are the ones I cherish most.
Living in Oxford, Ohio as a young professional of color can be challenging at times. Fortunately, I have been able to find a community of friends and colleagues and even students who accept me wholeheartedly. This journey would not have been nearly as sentimental without the laughs, tears and memories shared with these people.
As a supervisor, I am committed to hiring students who will advance the values of the university. In the past two years I have developed and implemented workshops and training series to highlight topics such as goal setting, team-builders, supporting diverse students, departmental and staff guidelines, and reflection activities. Every week I provide professional development opportunities to increase my staff’s ability to do their job more effectively. Similar to my advising approach, my style is relationship based and as a supervisor I aim to help students become more internally defined individuals who are confident in their decision-making skills in order to increase their accountability in the choices they make. I work toward this goal during the student led one-on-one meetings that I have with each member of the team bi-weekly. I believe that co-curricular experiences are an invaluable part of the college experience.
As I have come to embrace my identity as a womanist (a Black feminist committed to survival, community, and preservation) I have noticed how my community has grown. Being able to use critical and intersectional theory to center the experiences of women of color has been extremely powerful work. I hope to continue to facilitate workshops that empower those who are marginalized.