Reclaiming Leadership Narratives: Resilience and Community Among Principals with Disabilities

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Leadership at Equity Intersections: Minoritized Identity, Gender, Resilience, and Advocacy

Abstract

This study explores how K–12 school principals with disabilities cultivate leadership resilience through collaboration and community. Using a narrative inquiry methodology, the research gathers anonymous qualitative data from current and former principals who self-identify as having a disability. Thematic analysis highlights how disability informs relational and adaptive leadership practices rooted in equity, empathy, and inclusion. Preliminary findings reveal that resilience is not an individual trait but a co-constructed process shaped by mentorship, peer networks, and inclusive professional learning. Aligned with the AERA 2026 theme, Unforgetting Histories and Imagining Futures, this study amplifies historically marginalized leadership narratives and offers practical insights for transforming principal preparation, policy, and professional development to affirm and support the full identities of educational leaders with disabilities.

Authors

• Cynthia Angélica Gallardo, Texas A&M International University

• Lourdes Viloria, Texas A&M International University

• Alfredo Ramirez, Texas A&M International University