Cultural Advocacy and Teachers of Color

Teachers of color face marginalization and microaggressions that their White counterparts do not have to face. African American teachers experience microaggressions pathologizing their cultural values and communication styles, cultural/ethnic insensitivity, an ascription of their intelligence, and being treated as second-class citizens) that are hurtful, undermining, and disparaging (Brown, 2019). Asian American teachers face gendered, racial, and sexualized expectations on their campuses (Endo, 2015). A study of Latina bilingual teachers revealed that they felt alienated from their colleagues, had larger workloads, and did not have access to support (Amos, 2016). Teachers of color experience inequalities, microaggressions, and marginalization that impact their experiences as teachers (Brown, 2019; Amos, 2016; Endo, 2015). The fifteen participants’ responses generated cultural advocacy as the recurring theme. The findings revealed that the participants created networks with other teachers of color, engaged in self-advocacy and prayer, and chose to ignore microaggressions. Several stated that they decided to engage in race conversations to educate their White peers and foster understanding and empathy. While many felt they were often silenced and marginalized, they continued to maintain their professionalism while working in predominately White K–12 environments.