The Power of Dialogue and Meaningful Connectedness for Two Female Scholars of Color

• In Event: Productive Tensions in Mentoring

Abstract

Objectives
While there is often strength in numbers, it can be difficult to develop meaningful peer-mentoring relationships in a network that consists of over 20 members residing in various parts of the globe. This paper addresses tension resolution through the establishment of a co-mentoring relationship alongside the larger CURVE-Y-FRIENDS peer-mentoring network. It explores the question: What role does meaningful connectedness play in developing critical and reflective dialogue in a co-mentoring dyad experience?
Perspectives
We draw from feminist principles that are informed by the co-mentoring literature. Feminist co-mentoring fosters equal balance of power among participants where each person may take on the role of teacher and learner as both have something significant to contribute (McGuire & Reger, 2003). These contributions are rooted in critical dialogue (Freire, 1993), which places emphasis on humanizing and empowering those involved in discussion. Building community and fostering deeper connections and interactions among those involved in the research is also a key component of this framework (Brock, 2003).
Mode of inquiry
We used collaborative autoethnographic methods to help uncover the meanings in our stories and the social and cultural contexts that help inform them (Chang, Ngunjiri, and Hernandez, 2012).
Data sources
We maintained personal journals and communicated bi-weekly through tape-recorded phone conversations. Discussions ranged from the struggles of transitioning from being a doctoral student to a faculty member, and navigating the institutional cultures in predominantly white institutions.
Substantiated conclusions
Findings revealed that dialogue provided more than an outlet for these two faculty, but also a space to explore deficit thinking models (Valencia, 2010) inherent in higher education culture. Through critical dialogue we unearthed how unequal power dynamics, white privilege (Tillman, 2001), and dysconscious racism (Irvine, 2001) work to shape our common experiences as black women academics. The importance of co-mentoring relationships of connectedness is a second theme that emerged. We both agreed that strong co-mentoring relationships help to remind us of the importance and unique perspectives we bring to our teaching and scholarly work. Moreover these relationships help us see the critical value mentoring plays in the retention of faculty of color. Positionality was the third theme to emerge. Villaverde (2008) notes that positionality is “how one is situated through the intersection of power and the politics of gender, race, class, sexuality, ethnicity, culture, language, and other social factors”(p. 10). As the literature points out, faculty of color are often “outsiders within” (Hill-Collins, 1991) in the academy. Critical co-mentoring dialogue on how to navigate these “outsider” spaces allows us to stay afloat in uninviting academic contexts.
Scholarly significance
The literature suggests that co-mentoring is helpful for underrepresented groups who may feel excluded from informal academic networks (Acker, 1997; Blakemore, Switzer, DiLorio, & Fairchild 1997). This work is significant because it shares the critical importance and value of mentoring for women of color. Additionally, it provides further examination on how relationships are created, developed, and sustained among scholars.

Authors

• Makini Z. Beck, Valdosta State University

• Christine Wanjiku Nganga, The George Washington University