ABSTRACT
“Kelly” 1 is the director of Associated Students Incorporated (ASI) at a midsized university in Southern California. In the past several years, links have been made between academic student achievement and students’ sense of belonging (Toya, 2011). Diversity on campus ranges from traditional cultural and linguistic diversity to more recently recognized issues related to sexual orientation. According to the literature, annual training on diversity, and personal experience, Kelly has found there are direct correlations between students’ academic achievement and their feeling good about themselves and their community. When Kelly looks at the stack of issues on top of her sprawling desk, there looms the realization that student needs are not being met on campus. Kelly’s heart particularly aches for the student populations that are lacking support on campus and the impact identity has on academic success or lack thereof. Kelly remembers feeling the same way more than 20 years ago and is still surprised at the ability to be in a position to make profound changes that would have increased chances for improving academic achievement back then. Kelly has not come out to many people in the academic environment with regard to sexual orientation and latent identity, but, as a leader of color, she advocates for all students regardless of difference. Kelly is a Japanese transgendered woman of Okinawan descent. If she comes out at all, she decides it will be as a lesbian. The rest would be too much for people to handle.
