19: Critical Mentoring in the Hyphen: Reciprocal Connections Through a Shared Asian American Identity

As a first‑generation high school graduate and female faculty of the Global Majority, I have relied heavily on mentorship in academia and in professional spaces to support my knowledge and experience gaps as I continue to grow. These mentoring relationships have been mostly informal relationships built out of a shared profession or interest (such as theatre), and through these connections, I have learned how to navigate higher education and the workplace. My mentors have supported me through their active and engaged listening and knowledge sharing while also opening up doors for me that support my academic or professional endeavors. These mentoring experiences have taught me to be a better educator and mentor for my students; however, a lack of racial and cultural understanding is a missing component of these mentorships. A majority of my mentors have been women of the Global Majority, which has provided me with a profound feminist lens to my own experiences and pedagogy; however, none of them have looked like me or shared my upbringing.