​The infographics pictured below are displays of both my creative abilities and passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion. I created these for my leadership class in 2021 for a project where we could chose any topic to influence change. I did a lot of research on what aspect of DEI I wanted to focus on, which took a long time because this area is connected to everything. My professor for the class connected me with amazing resources at Towson as well as the PhD Project, and they gave me some incredible information and guidance based on real experiences. The first infographic is a lifecycle depicting why there is a lack of racially diverse professors in universities. The next infographic shows statistics on current minority professors in the US, and how those numbers have changed (or not) over time. The final image is some commonly-used terms in this space and how I am using them in the infographics, as well as commonly cited references.                                                                                                                                                 

This topic means everything to me. I have always been passionate about social justice and positive change, but never felt particularly artistic or creative. This project pushed me in many ways, but it proved me wrong in the creative sense. I am very proud of these infographics and enjoy the discussions they prompt. A big part of DEI is educating people on the current dynamics before being able to correct them, which is what my graphics are aiming to do. I hope these are the first in a long line of changes I make in this space as I go into a full-time career.                                   

Making these images and speaking with different people in and out of this professional space taught me a lot about the dynamics of diversity in education, professional lives, and social interactions. Speaking with my professor about her journey as a woman of color pursuing her PhD. brought a whole new issue to light for me. It was something I hadn't spent much time considering, and then couldn't stop thinking about. After speaking with other women of color in the PhD. Project, it was clear hers was not a unique experience among diverse students. Thinking about pursuing my Master's degree later on was a thought I had reconsidered many times, but seeing the experiences of other women of color has encouraged me to beat the odds and not let anything keep me from doing what I want in life. Taking this experience and knowledge into an HR career is essential because the position is essentially an advocate for the employees to the organization and vice versa. I have the ability to consider different perspectives and diplomatically combat discrimination or bias in the spaces I am in.