Traumatic Accumulation and Enumeration: A Poetic Voice for Experiences of Prejudice and Discrimination in the Academic Workplace

Two poems give voice to individuals with marginalized and stigmatized identities in the academy. The first poem is a breathless recitation of experiences of prejudice and discrimination, with ellipses providing a pause for the reader to engage and add their own experiences, expanding the voice. The second poem lists the cliché responses many with marginalized and stigmatized identities have experienced when reporting experiences of prejudice and discrimination. The clichés are a crescendo of attempts to deny voice and shift accountability to and ultimately silence marginalized people. Through an accessible and interactive form, the poems engage individuals and invite institutions to recognize and reflect on practices of reporting and responding to acts of prejudice and discrimination.