The Tension and Intersection between my Personal and Professional Identities as an Egyptian, Muslim Woman

Abstract


 
 
 In this autoethnography I connect my personal experience as an Egyptian, Muslim Woman and my professional experience as an Educator to the complex intercultural context in which I found myself (Ellis & Bochner, 2000). Using one critical incident (please see “we are not in America here” vignette) as a point of reflection on the influence that my background has had on my personal and professional learning, career choices, and how my perceptions of marginalization as an Egyptian, Muslim, Woman impacted my attitudes and behaviors and led me to focus on the importance of cultural competence for educators. Now more than ever, because of the divisive and hate rhetoric which is dominating the public and political arenas, I find myself concerned with the encompassing question of how could educators understand the struggles of students who are members of venerable minority groups, so that they could better support their learning?