Chapter 23: Conclusion: Intersectionality as Practice: Embracing All of Who We Are in Work and Life

I Am From . . .

In our previous research we examined how identity intersections were often associated with unsolicited stereotypes and compounding microaggressions that impeded upon one’s academic, professional, and personal pursuits in life (Mansfield, Welton, Lee, & Young, 2010; Welton, Mansfield, & Lee, 2014; Welton, Mansfield, Lee, & Young, 2015). The stress of oppression was not just institutional and structural in origin, but our work demonstrated how it also derived from the unfortunate mindsets and belief systems of colleagues, classmates, and professors leaving the participants we studied with a sense of feeling that they were less than for simply being who they are. We heard these same sentiments from contributors of this book, with the most apropos request made from Reddick, Struve, Jones, and Kinney (Chapter 7) that it is important for one to consider how educators can bring their full selves to the professional and academic setting. Even still, several of the authors discussed how their complex identities, despite conceivable stressors, were essential to who they are (see Oliver & Oliver, Chapter 4). Ultimately, their intersecting identities helped maintain not necessarily work–life balance but a genuine semblance of who they are. This is especially true with Mlambo (Chapter 17) who forwards for our consideration that the notion of “work–life balance” is not only privileged, but impractical.