A Stranger in Charleston: Intersectional Anxiety as a Latina in Academia

Abstract

Through a personal narrative of my experiences living in Charleston, South Carolina, I consider several problems faced by working-class academics of color. These include: isolation and alienation, being labeled a representative for an entire cultural group, higher service loads, confronting patriarchy and racism in and out of the classroom, and financial struggle. Through telling my story, I examine positionality and the anxieties resulting from the normative expectations placed on academics who are often the first in their families and communities to enter academia. I also emphasize the need for academics facing these problems to form support networks and practice self-care.