My experiences as a student and teacher of languages and linguistics has been the biggest contributor to my understanding the importance of diversity and inclusion. In the field of linguistics, it is imperative to understand the critical, intersectional, and inherent links between language and issues of social justice. In order to bridge the gap between sociolinguistic scholarship and the aspirations for equity in communities, institutions, and language policy, the study of language must be approached with an objective goal of inclusivity and diversity of all people's uniquely complex experiences, perceptions, and values. I am grateful to have had exposure to learning environments where viewpoints on cultural, sociopolitical, and ethical matters that extend beyond the mainstream are valued as essential components of higher education.

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My current research is one example of my contribution to promoting the values of diversity, cross-cultural understanding, and social equity. Through the analysis of how everyday people talk about language, a wide range of voices can be represented, achieving “populist” viewpoints on the interconnection of language, society, and power.  I study how ordinary citizens discuss words, their meaning, and how they should or should not be used. More specifically, I take a critical approach to examining shifting meanings and usages of words related to issues of gender and sexuality, race, class, and body size. The conversations that emerge reveal not only multiple perspectives and talking points, but also the relative social value of those talking points. My research aims not to present certain opinions on the issues, but rather to focus on what people do with language in the face of morally relative disputes. That is, my research lets the language itself reveal how social categories, social relations, and systems of knowledge and belief are constituted in and through discourse. Ultimately, I believe my research contributes to a wider understanding of the obstacles faced by underrepresented and marginalized groups.

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In my teaching, I understand that inclusivity and differentiation are inherent in strong teaching practices at any level of education. I believe it is necessary to always incorporate a wide range of viewpoints on issues of language and society. My lessons in linguistics classes are supplemented with additional, external resources with the aim to represent multiple languages, dialects, cultures, and nations. A primary goal of mine is to foster a classroom in which students feel safe to ask questions, share their ideas, and learn from one another. Consequently, when difficult topics arise, I can confidently encourage critical discussions from my students. I am grateful for the courses I have taken that have educated me on the realities of people who are faced with oppressive systems and inequitable ideologies. I am also inspired and appreciative of the endless advantages that stem from including critical analysis, multiple perspectives, and, at times, discomfort and vulnerability into any classroom. 

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In the classroom, there are always ample opportunities to provoke students to consider something that seems simple and view it in a new way, in order to realize how complex it really is. Studying language allows students to open their minds; by realizing the existence of new ways of looking at a unit of language, something that was present in their everyday lives, the students are flabbergasted and excited about it: they are enlightened of that particular linguistic difference, but more important, they realize the possibility of infinite other differences. The limits of their perception of language and of reality becomes unrestrained. Experiences like these, that challenge what they thought they knew to be true and absolute, are thus paralleled to being open to the different axiology and epistemics of other humans. That is, they learn the value of being more open-minded and ways to become more so.