How Identity Has Influenced A History Teacher And Adjunct Professor At SAGE Magnet And Cerro Coso Community College's Career
Truth, a Black single mother and educator, describes navigating a career where they constantly face the need to "prove" themself, encountering bias rooted in race and gender. This experience, including a deeply upsetting encounter with racist stereotyping in college, fueled their resilience and commitment to empowering students to overcome similar negativity.
Overcoming Challenges, Resilience, Workplace Challenges, Motivational Stories, Inspiring
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Truth Akins
History Teacher and Adjunct Professor
SAGE Magnet & Cerro Coso Community College
San Diego State University
UCI Criminology and UCLA Urban Education
Criminal Justice
Education
Education
Disabled, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Veteran, Transfer Student, Student Athlete, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. "As a Black woman and single parent, I've had to work harder to prove myself and overcome biases in the workplace. I've learned to navigate these challenges while maintaining my personality."
2. "Early experiences with racism in education motivated me to pursue a career where I can support students and empower them to overcome similar obstacles."
3. "Balancing a career with single parenthood requires exceptional time management, organization, and self-advocacy, skills which are transferable to many professional environments."
Transcript
As someone who identifies as a single parent and a Black woman, how has that impacted how you navigate your career?
It's impacted me in a lot of ways. Sometimes I have to seek perfection because I know more is demanded from me. I'm always having to do a little bit more to prove myself wherever I go.
It's not immediately accepted that I'm who I am and hold all this education. It's like I have to prove myself through a lot of English. It's been a struggle to always have this hard path and then also have to prove myself when I get somewhere.
When I first arrived at my school, many people looked at my resume and didn't like it. They thought I had too many degrees. Being a woman, being Black, laughing, smiling, looking youthful – they said, "I'm not going to listen to you."
It's been a challenge to say, "Take me seriously," and not become a person I don't want to be. I don't want to be someone I'm not, someone who isn't light-hearted.
I changed my career in the middle of college because a food nutrition teacher said that the staple foods for African Americans down South were food stamps. She covered everybody else's culture, saying, "Here it's potatoes, over here it's rice." She went across this map of the US, talking about all these cultures.
Then she went down South and said, "Americans, their staple food is food stamps." I was the only African American in the class. There was an African girl who wasn't from America, and everyone else was not Black. They were just taking notes, and they didn't realize she said something horrible.
That's what really made me panic. I wish I had been strong enough then to stand up to her. But later, going back and dealing with the same issues in school systems, it made me stronger.
Now, I'm in the school system, and I'm aware of the battles I fight. I'm going to be here for these kids so they can have their eyes opened, become strong and empowered, and move forward. They shouldn't listen to negativity because it's not real. That's been a big challenge.