Supporting the Disrupters: A Phenomenological Inquiry Into Social Justice School Leaders' Identity Development

• In Event: Leadership Perspectives for Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice

Abstract

This phenomenological study sought insight into how social justice school leaders understand their identities within a resistant neoliberal school system that challenges their beliefs and how they maintain their social justice identities. The researcher co-created knowledge with seven participants through interviews. Findings indicate that (1) social justice school leaders develop their social justice leader identities with a strong sense of their why, (2) barriers that social justice school leaders face daily challenge their social justice leader identities, (3) as social justice school leaders enact change and disrupt inequitable systems, their social justice identities evolve, and (4) social justice school leaders seek opportunities outside of their organizations to remain deinstitutionalized and strengthen their social justice leader identities.

Authors

• Christina V. Luna, California State University - Fresno

• Cyndee Mai Nguyen, California State University - Fresno

• Susan M. Tracz, California State University - Fresno