Alone in the Canoe: Navigating the Waters of Paradise Racism

• In Event: Roundtable Session 27
  In Roundtable Session: Critical Race Theory as an Analytical Tool

Abstract

This paper addresses tensions between western notions of administrative credibility and the author’s rich Pacific Islander narrative. As the only Pacific Islander senior administrator in his state, the author explores his navigation of credibility and introduces a Pacific Critical Race analysis of educational leadership. Rooted in Critical Race Theory, the author outlines the nuances of Paradise Racism as an extension Benevolent Racism and reflects on the implications of such prejudice on the future of Pacific Islander representation in higher education administrative spaces.

Author

• Kyle Reyes, Utah Valley University