The following is a guest post written by someone who is not me who has finished their first term teaching at a prestigious boarding school which is not the one I teach at.
Open letter to [someone’s] students:
Congratulations on making it through another term at [school]! I know I was technically your math teacher, but right now I want to talk about all the politics we covered.
To begin, let’s define politics (I’m still a mathematician, after all!). Today’s Wikipedia says:
Politics is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status.
As a class, we are a group of people, and it had to be decided how we would spend our time together. As a teacher, I am part of a department and an institution which again has to make many decisions. I have power over my class, but my department and the institution have power over me. Everything is subjective; everything is political.
My first political act was to allow your lived experience to have more weight than my theories. I was forced to make some decisions before I met you. Once I met you, I asked how you felt about our math curriculum and method of delivery. I asked you what made you feel safe or unsafe in the classroom. I made decisions about the class structure based on what I learned from you. That was political.
My second political act was to prioritize your learning over anything else (other than your well-being, but anything that jeopardizes your well-being necessarily harms your learning, so I felt prioritizing learning, as your math teacher, was not in conflict with my values or your needs). What are the things that get in the way of learning? Grades!!! Stress! Competition! Lack of safety! Lack of mathematical support!
Grades!!!!
You told me that one of the most stressful things about your high achieving school is that you can’t mess up. If you mess up on one test it can be impossible to get an A in the course. I responded with “in my class you will always have access to an A on your final grade, you just need to learn and demonstrate learning by the end.” That was political.
You told me that in addition to how you can’t mess up it was terrible how at your high achieving school, you can’t get sick. There is no time here. There is no time for healing. Students who have serious enough health issues to merit intervention will get institutional support in the form of a dean emailing their teachers saying “please be kind.” Personally, I choose kindness at all times! If you ever emailed me saying you were sick, my reply was: Please rest!!! Please take care of yourself! We will deal with the math when you are ready. That was political.
My most questionable political act, which was not exactly on purpose, was that I let us fall behind. Some classes more than others. This was probably a mistake. Or rather, five years from now when I have a better handle of everything, I suspect I will not let us get as far behind as we did. I will be able to adapt more strategically to student needs. But what happened was we were all exhausted. We were all exhausted and you needed a break from the pressure. I listened to what you needed and I knew it would fall to me to deal with it later, and I did. This could have been done better, surely, but I did everything I could to listen and respond to your needs, to assume you were doing your best, and to make sure you were not penalized for my mistakes. I respected that we had a relationship and if I am going to hold you to a standard, I have to do my part to prepare and support you. That is political.
I am telling you this because I think it is important, but also because I have a favor to ask of you now. A political favor. It is a favor that I ask only if it feels right and true. You don’t owe me anything, but remember politics is about activities associated with making decisions in groups.
Some number of you got higher scores with me than you would have received for the same work but with other teachers. Some number of you may attempt to use this as evidence that it’s okay not to grade harshly. Good! Everything is subjective, everything is political, and you earned those high scores by learning new skills. Many teachers, especially in math, have taken the political stance that grades are objective, and worse many view an A as indicative of not needing support. They want to be able to distinguish between “got it right the first time” and “got it right after some help.”
They want to distinguish between “learned on a predetermined schedule” and “learned on an occasionally delayed schedule.” That is hardly objective, and your experience says it’s not necessary.
There is this fantasy/nightmare harbored by many that a teacher not viewing an A as objective means everyone automatically gets A’s and nobody ever does the work! They believe this even here, as hard as it was to get here, as hard as it is to be here. This is not my experience, and I do not think it is your experience.
So what I ask of you is this: If you find yourself referencing our class, especially to an adult who is willing to blame high school students for their own stress, be political in your word choice. Again, I value your experience and your truth and I want you to be honest, but if this context fits then I would ask you to include it: whatever skill you didn’t perfect in my class was because I was new and didn’t have the support I needed, and was not because I didn’t properly motivate you with the specter of low grades.
But more than that, I would ask you, if you can, to make the political choice to feel confident in your grade and your abilities. Everything is subjective and everything is political and you do not need to agree with teachers who think an A means “never made mistakes.” What kind of a world are we creating if we’re trying to pretend that mistakes aren’t essential to being human? You are all extremely capable. You deserve support. You deserve the equity and inclusion you were promised in the brochures.
I ask you, if you can, to make the political choice to go into your next class knowing that your voice deserves to be heard, your questions deserve to be asked and addressed, you deserve to feel safe in the classroom, you deserve to feel like you can make mistakes while learning, you deserve to be allowed to learn every day independent of the assessment schedule. You deserve a two-way street of accountability with faculty.
I learned so much from all of you, and for that I am eternally grateful.
The 2024 Joint Meetings of the Mathematical Societies (JMM) will be held in San Fransisco January 3-6. [Editorial note: I continue to have issues with conferences without virtual participation options, I was concerned about some of the fine print at registration, and I struggled to find a space to talk about teaching.]
Continuing our tradition, this post highlights events at this virtual meeting related to diversity, equity, and justice. In particular, I built the list below be reading the program and noting invited presentations and sessions having either titles indicated that some aspect of diversity/equity/justice would be the focus of the talk or sponsorship by groups including NAM, AWM, Spectra & Math Alliance. In addition, I reached to individuals who have contributed items to similar posts in the past.
Please note that this list will not be comprehensive. I have not looked within sessions for individual talks, and I certainly hope that we continue to #DisruptJMM by discussing these issues across the whole program. If you catch a session that I missed, you are welcome to message me; please forgive me for what I have missed or typos I have introduced.
I have recently learned that this kind of list ows has a past debt to Bill Hawkins, who would distribute a similar list in person at conferences.
Where possible, click on the hyperlinks to be re-directed to an online JMM Scientific Program page containing additional details about the individual talks. I believe that all times are listed in Pacific Time.
Sections:
Invited Addresses
Special and Contributed Sessions (not chronological)
Other Events
Events identified by others
[Last update based on comments: 12/28/2023 2:45pm Pacific.]
Invited Addresses
Wednesday January 3, 2024, 11:00 a.m.-12:05 p.m. AMS Erdős Lecture for Students From Moments to Matrices John Urschel, MIT Room 207, The Moscone Center
Thursday January 4, 2024, 11:00 a.m.-12:05 p.m. MAA Lecture on Teaching and Learning (Why) To Build Bridges in Mathematics Education Yvonne Lai, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Room 205, The Moscone Center
Friday January 5, 2024, 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. MAA-SIAM-AMS Hrabowski-Gates-Tapia-McBay Lecture When Mathematicians Don’t Count Kamuela E. Yong, University of Hawaii West Oahu Room 207, The Moscone Center
Saturday January 6, 2024, 9:45 a.m.-10:50 a.m. AMS Lecture on Education Mathematics in (and for) the Real World Suzanne L Weekes, SIAM Room 207, The Moscone Center
Special/Contributed Sessions
(not chronological)
AMS Special Session on Epistemologies of the South and the Mathematics of Indigenous Peoples
I: Friday January 5, 2024, 2:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Room 020, The Moscone Center
II: Saturday January 6, 2024, 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Room 020, The Moscone Center
NAM-SIAM-AMS Special Session on Quantitative Justice
Wednesday January 3, 2024, 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Room 203, The Moscone Center
SLMath (MSRI) Special Session on African Diaspora Joint Mathematics Working Groups (ADJOINT)
I: Thursday January 4, 2024, 8:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Room 307, The Moscone Center
II: Friday January 5, 2024, 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Room 210, The Moscone Center
AMS Special Session on Roots of Unity – Mathematics from Graduate Students in the Roots of Unity Program
I: Friday January 5, 2024, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Room 311, The Moscone Center
II: Friday January 5, 2024, 2:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Room 311, The Moscone Center
NAM Haynes-Granville-Browne Session of Presentations by Recent Doctoral Recipients
Thursday January 4, 2024, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Room 209, The Moscone Center
AMS Special Session on Research Presentations by Math Alliance Scholar Doctorates
I: Wednesday January 3, 2024, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Room 103, The Moscone Center
II: Wednesday January 3, 2024, 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Room 103, The Moscone Center
III: Thursday January 4, 2024, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Room 103, The Moscone Center
IV: Thursday January 4, 2024, 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Room 103, The Moscone Center
AMS Special Session on The EDGE (Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education) Program: Pure and Applied Talks by Women Math Warriors
I: Wednesday January 3, 2024, 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Room 157, The Moscone Center
II: Thursday January 4, 2024, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Room 157, The Moscone Center
III: Thursday January 4, 2024, 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Room 157, The Moscone Center
TPSE Contributed Paper Session on Using Institutional and National Data Sources to Recruit, Retain and
Wednesday January 3, 2024, 8:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Room 211, The Moscone Center
Spectra Special Session on Research by LGBTQ+ Mathematicians
I: Friday January 5, 2024, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Room 101, The Moscone Center
II: Friday January 5, 2024, 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Room 101, The Moscone Center
Joint Special Session on AMS-AWM Special Session for Women and Gender Minorities in Symplectic and Contact Geometry and Topology
I: Wednesday January 3, 2024, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Room 023, The Moscone Center
II: Wednesday January 3, 2024, 2:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Room 023, The Moscone Center
III: Friday January 5, 2024, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Room 023, The Moscone Center
IV: Friday January 5, 2024, 2:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Room 023, The Moscone Center
AWM Special Session on Women in Mathematical Biology
I: Wednesday January 3, 2024, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Room 301, The Moscone Center
II: Wednesday January 3, 2024, 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Room 301, The Moscone Center
III: Friday January 5, 2024, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Room 301, The Moscone Center
AMS Special Session on Ethics in the Mathematics Classroom
I: Wednesday January 3, 2024, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Room 009, The Moscone Center
II: Wednesday January 3, 2024, 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Room 009, The Moscone Center
Other Events
Wednesday January 3, 2024, 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Black Mathematicians Edit-A-Thon Pacific E, Marriott Marquis San Francisco
Wednesday January 3, 2024, 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. JMM Panel: Decolonizing Mathematics Room 304, The Moscone Center
Wednesday January 3, 2024, 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. AMS Committee on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Panel Discussion: Successful Programs that Support Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Room 102, The Moscone Center
Thursday January 4, 2024, 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Spectra Workshop: Creating an Inclusive Undergraduate Mathematics Curriculum Room 202, The Moscone Center [I believe this requires pre-registration.]
Thursday January 4, 2024, 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Joint Committee on Women Panel: Financial Empowerment for Mathematicians Room 102, The Moscone Center
Friday January 5, 2024, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. AWM Workshop: Mathematicians + Wikipedia — A Training Edit-a-thon Room 202, The Moscone Center [Does NOT require pre-registration.]
Friday January 5, 2024, 1:00 p.m.-2:15 p.m. MAA Project NExT Panel on MAA Project NExT Panel Discussion on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Practices in an Undergraduate Math Class Room 303, The Moscone Center
Friday January 5, 2024, 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. AWM Panel: Celebrating Academic Pivots in Mathematics Room 304, The Moscone Center
Saturday January 6, 2024, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. SLMath Special Session on SLMath (MSRI) – NAM Film Presentation: World Premiere of George Csicsery’s film “Journeys of Black Mathematicians: Part 1” and Panel Discussion Room 304, The Moscone Center
Saturday January 6, 2024, 2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m. JMM Panel: Cal-Bridge: Building Bridges and Diversifying Mathematics Room 304, The Moscone Center
Identified by others
NSF Special Session on Outcomes and Innovations from NSF Undergraduate Education Programs in the Mathematical Sciences I
I: Friday January 5, 2024, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Room 212, The Moscone Center
II: Friday January 5, 2024, 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Room 212, The Moscone Center
III: Saturday January 6, 2024, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Room 212, The Moscone Center
IV: Saturday January 6, 2024, 1:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Room 212, The Moscone Center
AWM Special Session on EvenQuads Live and in person: The honorees and the games
I: Thursday January 4, 2024, 1:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Room 158, The Moscone Center
II: Friday January 5, 2024, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Room 158, The Moscone Center
AMS Committee on the Profession Panel Discussion: Building a Successful Research Career in Mathematics
Wednesday January 3, 20024, 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Room 102, The Moscone Center
A partial list of individual talks, contributed by Dr Edray Goins.
10:00 a.m., Room 012, The Moscone Center (1192-54-33020)
Scarce congruences for r-colored partitions AMS Special Session on Number Theory in Memory of Kevin James, I Robert Dicks*, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 9:30 a.m., Room 310, The Moscone Center
Nourridine Of Siewe*, Rochester Institute of Technology (1192-34-29725)
Arithmeticity of modular forms on G_{2} AMS Special Session on Theta Correspondence, I Aaron J Pollack*, University of California, San Diego 11:00 a.m., Room 311, The Moscone Center
The Function Number Method : Basis and Applications AMS Contributed Paper Session on Harmonic Analysis, Probability Theory, and Related Topics, II Marcel Julmard Ongoumakaa Yanzda*, Marien Ngouabi University 1:15 p.m., Room 114, The Moscone Center
(1192-34-25455)
Gaming Districting Metrics NAM-SIAM-AMS Special Session on Quantitative Justice, I Stephanie Somersille*, Somersille Math Consulting Services 1:30 p.m., Room 203, The Moscone Center
Neural Networks Applied to ODE’s AMS Special Session on Research Presentations by Math Alliance Scholar Doctorates, II Ty Frazier*, University of Minnesota 2:00 p.m., Room 103, The Moscone Center
Framing Ethics through General Public Education AMS Special Session on Ethics in the Mathematics Classroom, II Lawrence C Udeigwe*, Manhattan College & MIT 2:30 p.m., Room 009, The Moscone Center
(1192-10-33169)
Modelling COVID-19 Dynamics Incorporating Vaccine Hesitancy AMS Special Session on Recent Advances in Mathematical Models of Diseases: Analysis and Computation, II Maruf A Lawal*, University of Tennessee 2:30 p.m., Room 152, The Moscone Center
(1192-92-31469)
On continuous exchangeable Markov chains AMS Special Session on Modelling with Copulas: Discrete vs Continuous Dependent Data, II Martial Longla*, University of Mississippi
3:00 p.m., Room 154, The Moscone Center
(1192-62-25981)
Anti-van der Waerden Numbers of Graph Products with Trees AMS Special Session on The EDGE (Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education) Program: Pure and Applied Talks by Women Math Warriors, I Shanise Walker*, Clark Atlanta University 3:30 p.m., Room 157, The Moscone Center
Hyperplane Arrangement and Flop Transitions of E6-models SLMath (MSRI) Special Session on African Diaspora Joint Mathematics Working Groups (ADJOINT) Saber Ahmed*, Hamilton College 8:30 a.m., Room 307, The Moscone Center (1192-14-31529)
Optimal Transport in the Design of Refractors in Anisotropic Media SLMath (MSRI) Special Session on African Diaspora Joint Mathematics Working Groups (ADJOINT) Henok Mawi*, Howard University (Washington, DC, US) 10:30 a.m., Room 307, The Moscone Center (1192-78-33018)
Isotopes in Physics and in Mathematics AMS Special Session on Mathematical Physics and Future Directions, I Tepper L. Gill*, Howard University 11:00 a.m., Room 009, The Moscone Center
[Editorial note: This final monthly Testimonios post is the Preface of Testimonios as well as the short biographies of the book editors.]
It is often the case that mathematical proofs and theorems seem to magically appear out of thin air—as if in that magical moment of epiphany, the proof wrote itself in its beautiful form. Of course, for most of us, this is only an illusion—theorems occur after mental marathons, struggles, and refinement. Books also appear to us as if they fall from the heavens, often lacking a story of how the book came to fruition. We decided that it would be a disservice to not tell the story of how this book came to fruition, for every mathematical story has people behind it. Thus, we decided to begin this book of Testimonios with the story of Lathisms: Latinxs and Hispanics in the Mathematical Sciences. It is the editors’ personal testimonios of a mathematical family brought together by a deep need to be seen and accepted as our authentic selves within mathematical spaces. We consider this book to be a tangible source of inspiration, not only for those who lack a mathematical family and those rising through the ranks, but for ourselves.
A Chance Meeting — Pamela and Alicia
Pamela Harris. I completed my PhD studies in 2012 at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, and I later learned that Alicia completed her PhD studies the same year at University of Texas at Arlington. I worked on problems in combinatorial representation theory and Alicia on problems in mathematical biology. It is truly an example of mathematical and personal fate that we would meet each other, as we couldn’t be further apart in our mathematical interests. Yet, this is the beauty of being MAA Project NExT (New Experiences in Teaching) fellows. I was a Silver ’12 and Alicia a Brown ’13 and we both attended MathFest 2013 in Hartford, Connecticut. Although the story of our meeting is something I prefer to tell over mezcal and tacos, I am happy to share it here because of the deep impact it had on us and in the many friendships we have cultivated since our meeting.
During MathFest 2013, I co-organized a panel on how to write letters of recommendations; something that no one ever taught me to do as a graduate student, but that I needed to learn as I was now a professor. Setting-up for the panel, I realized that none of us as organizers had remembered to bring a clicker to advance the panelists’ slides. I left the room in a hurry looking for Dr. Aparna Higgins, who at the time was the Director of Project NExT. I was sure that Aparna would be able to lend me a clicker. When I found Aparna by the registration table, she thankfully had a clicker. I fondly remember that as we fidgeted with the batteries ensuring they were placed in the correct orientation, Aparna took advantage of the opportunity to teach me that one should keep the batteries out of the clicker when not in use so that the batteries are not dead on arrival. With the working clicker ready, I quickly walked away to return to my panel, without a clue that the next few minutes of my life would lead to finding my mathematical soulmate.
Alicia Prieto. As a recent immigrant from Mexico, I had always had a hard time getting used to being “the only one” at every math conference or meeting. After a while, I made it a point to find any person of color that I could bond with. After realizing that among the 80+ Brown ’13 fellows there were exactly eight nonwhite participants, only four Latinxs of which only one was U.S. born, I decided to confront Aparna about this lack of representation within the Project NExT Fellows. This was the question I posed Aparna, who just minutes prior had handed Harris [1] a clicker, and she replied: “No, there are more! There is a Pamela Harris!” pointing to Harris who was about 30 feet away. With that last name, I was skeptical that Harris could be Latina. So when Aparna pointed her out in the crowd, as she was walking back toward her panel, and after I realized that Harris did “look” Mexican, I softly called out (in Mexican full-on volume) toward Harris’s direction: “Brown people!! Brown peopleeeeeeeeeeeee!” As Harris turned to look toward me to see who was screaming “Brown people,” and realizing that in fact I was shouting at her, she turned and saw me sprinting toward her. Harris stopped and waited for me to get closer and that’s when I began my inquisition:
Alicia: Where are you from? Pamela: México Alicia: ¿Hablas Español? Pamela: Si. Alicia: Y ¿de donde en Mexico? Pamela: Guadalajara. Alicia: Yo también! Pamela: Ok. Sorry, but I have to go because my panel is about to start. Maybe we can go to lunch afterwards?
I quickly scribbled my phone number on a scrap of paper to share with Harris; she still has that scrap paper and it is pictured on the next page. As Harris went off to her panel, I reflected on how happy I was to find someone who not only looked like me, but who was born in the same Mexican city of Guadalajara, Jalisco. By the end of our lunch that day we discovered that we were born just three days apart in the same city, we are the oldest of three siblings (one sister and one brother), and both of our mothers have the same name: Rosa. We also quickly discovered that we had another very important thing in common: a terrible thirst for a family within the mathematical community|a family of people who shared our culture, values, and beliefs. A family we believed existed, but which often felt so invisible. That chance encounter was the beginning of the Lathisms family.
The Founding of Lathisms
Pamela Harris. Many good ideas have begun from conversations and discussions via social media. Lathisms is one such idea which began in the spring of 2016 when on social media someone asked if there was a repository or a list of minority mathematicians. Someone pointed to the SACNAS biography project, yet this only had a few mathematicians. Motivated by this, in private conversations with Alicia, Alexander Díaz-López, and Gabriel Sosa, we decided that if no such website existed, we would create it. We were especially excited for the timing since it would allow us to unveil this website during Hispanic Heritage Month that upcoming fall.
This was the birth of Lathisms: Latinxs and Hispanics in the Mathematical Sciences in 2016. We began Lathisms with the idea of bringing visibility to the vibrant and active Latinx and Hispanic community within the mathematical sciences by creating a Hispanic Heritage Month calendar (running yearly during National Hispanic Heritage month, from September 15–October 15) in which a featured mathematician was uncovered daily. Our primary goal was to provide an accessible platform that featured the multifaceted and diverse nature of the Latinx and Hispanic mathematical community and which would inspire younger generations of mathematicians. This work expanded to collaborations with the American Mathematical Society for a poster, and with the financial support of the Mathematical Association of America we were able to expand our efforts to include podcast interviews hosted by Evelyn Lamb.
Alicia Prieto. The work of Lathisms in those initial years came with a lot of feedback from the community at large. Most of this feedback was quite positive, but some came with a warning to us about the time commitment it takes to make such initiatives last. This was well-intended seeing how we were all early-career mathematicians, and those sharing their concern were right to think that we might fall behind on our research and possibly live through some negative repercussions later on in our careers.
Harris and I are the first to admit that the workload in running Lathisms was intense, especially as there were only four of us involved during those initial years. The support from the MAA in the form of a Tensor SUMMA grant alleviated some of the workload as we were able to hire a web developer, Richard Diaz, but as Alexander stepped down to move onto other projects and later Gabriel; Harris and I needed to reassess the workload and bring in additional people with a passion for advancing the Lathisms mission and vision and who would help us lead the organization. Hence, in 2018 we created a Lathisms Leadership Team and a Lathisms Junior Associate Team.
Pamela Harris. With the need for additional help to run Lathisms, Alicia and I discussed who to include in the Lathisms Leadership Team. We both agreed that we needed someone who was dependable and passionate about addressing issues of underrepresentation of Latinxs and Hispanics in the mathematical sciences. Naturally, Luis Sordo Vieira came to mind given his move to research in medicine following his completion of a PhD in number theory. After working together for a few months, we realized we needed more help. This sparked the idea of putting together a Junior Associates Team, made up of rising stars who shared our values and who could help shape the future of Lathisms. Our first goal was filling a need for someone who had a background in scientific writing and a network within applied mathematics, and luckily we knew Vanessa Rivera Quiñones who came highly recommended by Alexander Diaz-Lopez and had established a track record in her work.
Alicia Prieto. New to the team was another rising star within our community; Andrés Vindas Meléndez, whose trajectory Pamela knew of from years prior, brought energy and renewed passion for highlighting the broad diversity within the Lathisms community. Finally, we knew we needed an expert in mathematics education, especially as the 2019 Lathisms calendar would focus on math educators. Fortunately, I knew one of the BEST mathematics education researchers, who happened to be another amazing Latina, and who happened to be one of my best friends: Rosaura Uscanga Lomelí. The addition of Vanessa, Andrés and Rosaura to the Lathisms Team has made the team awesome.
The Lathisms Team
Luis Sordo Vieira. I graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2017, completing my undergraduate studies at Wayne State University. As a Venezuelan-American mathematician, I, like Alicia, also experienced being “the only one” in several spaces, as this has often felt like the rule rather than the exception. Although I had met Pamela at the Latinos in the Mathematical Sciences Conference at the Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics in 2015, Lathisms was where our friendship really started. I found a mathematical older sister, not in the sense of an academic co-descendant, but rather in the sense of an additional familial older sister, a person I could trust who would tell me when I messed up, cherish my successes, and give me a hand when I struggled. When I decided to change focus from my PhD work in number theory to applying mathematics to medicine in my late years of graduate school, I remember my doubts and fears of failing fading away as I told Pamela about my plans. Pamela displayed an honest joy—a joy that many reserve for their own success.
A year after graduation, Alicia (who by then I had already met and admired her quick wits and fearless will to speak out) and Pamela invited me to join the Lathisms family as part of the Leadership Team. I accepted without hesitation, as it is a rare opportunity to work side-to-side with your family on something that you believe to have a deep impact on your community. And the Lathisms family kept expanding. I find a great sense of joy in contacting the Lathisms calendar nominees, reading why they were nominated, and in reading and editing their stories. Reading their stories and working with the rest of the Lathisms team to highlight all of these outstanding accomplishments on either the website, articles, or this book, served not only as a source of inspiration for the pursing of new mathematics—but also as a source of motivation to keep striving for a more equitable society.
Vanessa Rivera Quiñones. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, I was always excited to meet other Latinx/Hispanic mathematicians. As an undergraduate, I studied at the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras and met Alexander Díaz-Lopez during a Calculus competition. I saw in Alexander a contemporary role model and was very excited about his work with Lathisms. However, joining Lathisms came a while later, when Pamela invited me to join the team. At the time, I was a graduate student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I had met Luis and Andrés at the Latinxs in the Mathematical Conference in 2018, and seen the powerful work done by the co-founders. So, I jumped at the opportunity to collaborate with the team.
It has been all I ever hoped for and more. I am inspired by each of the members, and how they bring their full selves to this life-transforming work. I’ve learned so much from Pamela, Alicia, Luis, Rosaura, and Andrés. It’s through their passion, dedication, and hard-work that Lathisms has been able to grow and become a family. By featuring and sharing the personal and professional stories of Latinx/Hispanic mathematicians through so many avenues (i.e., our website, posters, podcasts, and articles), we’ve painted a rich picture of our honorees and our community. For me, working with the Lathisms team has been a way to honor those that are paving the way to make mathematics a home for us.
Andrés Vindas Meléndez. I first met Pamela during the 2012 SACNAS National Conference, where Pamela was a poster judge and I was presenting my undergraduate research. We corresponded by email after the conference with intentions to work on mathematics together, but life happened and mathematical collaborations did not come until years later. After completing my undergraduate studies at UC Berkeley, I pursued a master’s degree at San Francisco State University, where I found a community that shared my passions for both mathematics and social justice. At San Francisco State, I co-founded and co-organized the Distinguished Women in Mathematics Lecture Series in the Fall of 2016. Fortunately, Pamela was attending an American Institute of Mathematics workshop in nearby San José and accepted our invitation to be our first distinguished speaker. Since then we have attended and bonded at several national and international conferences, collaborated on research and organizing conference sessions. I met Luis at the 2015 Latinos in Math conference. It was encouraging to meet other Latinx graduate students at the conference and this is where Luis shared with me his experiences as a graduate student at the University of Kentucky; I would go on to attend the University of Kentucky for my PhD, exemplifying the power of connections. I had the pleasure of meeting Alicia (after having heard amazing things about her) at the 2018 Critical Issues in Mathematics Education Conference hosted by the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute at Berkeley. It felt as if I had known Alicia forever. As mentioned by Vanessa above, we met in person at the second iteration of the Latinos in Math conference in 2018. As a fun fact, I had actually emailed Vanessa for help on a graduate fellowship a few years before after noticing her name on the roster of award recipients. While I have not had the pleasure of meeting Rosaura in person, I value her presence on the team and admire her contributions and knowledge of mathematics education.
When I was asked to join the Lathisms team, as a Junior Associate, I accepted immediately since I knew the team is amazing. In a short time we have connected and have created very close bonds. Our different personalities, qualities, and abilities, makes the team work so well! Since joining the Lathisms team, I have helped expand the work and network of Latinx mathematicians. My goals within Lathisms is to facilitate the professional development of Latinx mathematicians and their supporters to create a space where everyone feels comfortable and supported so that they can thrive in whatever mathematical pursuits and directions they take.
Rosaura Uscanga Lomelí. Alicia and I met in 2008 back when I was in my first year of my undergraduate studies and she was working on her PhD at the University of Texas at Arlington. There were not many Hispanics in the mathematics department so I noticed Alicia right away, but as a first year student in college, I was scared to approach her. If you know Alicia, you know that she makes a significant effort to build a network with fellow Black and Brown mathematicians, so she noticed me one day at math club and made sure to come introduce herself (she asked me who I was, where I was from, and more importantly for her, if I spoke Spanish). We found out we were both from México which gave us a shared perspective on life in the U.S., and being around her made me feel close to home. Right away I felt a connection with her! She has been a constant source of inspiration and support in my life. For the rest of my undergraduate education, we met weekly for lunch and for walks around campus. She quickly became an important part of my life and I was excited for her to get to know my family and for them to get to know her. So I invited her over to my house (I lived with my parents at the time) to meet my whole family and they loved her as much as I do. From then on, she knew she was always welcome at my house and at any family gatherings; she was part of the family. She became like my older sister (although she says younger, because she claims I am more mature but I disagree).
In light of our deep connection, I happily accepted the invitation to join Lathisms in 2019! I was honored that they thought of me to help out with their mission. At the time, I only knew of Pamela because I had heard a lot about her from Alicia and her story had inspired me—the stories I had heard about her life resonated with me. So I thought there was nothing better than getting the opportunity to work with two amazing Latina mathematicians. Once I became part of the team, I “met’’ (online) Vanessa, Andrés, and Luis. While I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting them in person, these amazing individuals have made a huge impact in my life and inspire me each and every day. They are passionate about everything they do and are dedicated to making Lathisms better each year and to make the road easier for Latinx and Hispanic students who aspire to become mathematicians. I had never before been surrounded by so many Hispanics in mathematics and I’ve got to admit that it is pretty awesome. Working at Lathisms does not feel like work, our weekly meetings feel just like spending time with family.
Testimonios: Stories of Latinx and Hispanic Mathematicians
Mathematics is not created nor discovered in a vacuum. Inherent to mathematical progress is the stories of the people behind it. So as we reached the fifth anniversary of Lathisms, we wanted to highlight the power of stories about our community and family. We compiled this book because we thought that seeing the testimonios of inspiring mathematicians could help further the growth and the brilliance of the community of Latinx and Hispanic mathematicians. Our goal has always been to inspire younger generations of Latinx and Hispanic mathematicians, so that they may see themselves reflected in these stories, and so they may learn that we stand on the shoulders of giants; inspiring the next Tapias and Toros of mathematics. This book also highlights rising-stars in our community. Their lives and journeys will inspire current undergraduate and graduate students who often seek a role model who shares their language, culture, and heritage, and who are clearing the path in front of them so they can reach further than ever before. Moreover, these stories talk about the American experience at large. We seek to inspire anyone who has or wants to have a career in mathematics or any other STEM field—particularly those from underrepresented groups. In general, we want to reach a wide variety of individuals at all different stages in their careers. We hope this book helps people outside of our community, specially those who want to be allies or mentors, realize the particular challenges faced by minoritized populations and we offer, in the many examples, a window to potential barriers and to ways in which everyone can help overcome them.
In addition, this book was also for ourselves. As we read every testimonio, we relived those stories and imagined the impact these narratives would have had on our younger selves and on our trajectories in the mathematical community. How less isolated, lonely, and lost would we have felt as some of us immigrated to a new country, learned a new language, or failed graduate school examinations. Knowing we are not the only ones to have struggled and who have overcome would have helped us tremendously in those times of need. It is because of this that we consider this book a true success, for the impact it has had on us is immeasurable. These stories have truly inspired us. The great efforts to overcome challenges, both personal and systemic, and the resilience and devotion of outstanding researchers and educators showcased through these stories have energized us in an extremely difficult year. [2]
We end by extending our thanks to Ana Valle for the beautiful illustrations accompanying each chapter, and by expressing our deep gratitude to all of those who contributed to this book. We thank you for sharing your stories, your lives, your beings, fully and authentically. We want to acknowledge that, for many, this was a cathartic, and sometimes, emotionally painful and time consuming process. We are confident your testimonios will inspire all within the mathematical community to pay attention to the struggles, inequalities, and problems that we, as a community and as individuals, should strive to resolve in order to improve the experience of those marginalized in mathematics, including Latinxs and Hispanics. Our future is brighter because of your words and your work.
Con mucho amor y respeto, Pamela E. Harris Alicia Prieto Langarica Vanessa Rivera Quiñones Luis Sordo Vieira Rosaura Uscanga Lomelí Andrés R. Vindas Meléndez
Agradecimientos y Dedicatorias / Acknowledgements and Appreciation
Pamela. Toda historia tiene un comienzo, y para mi esta empieza con mis gracias a mis padres, Rosa y Jorge, por todos los sacrificios que han hecho para que yo tuviera la oportunidad de poder realizar mis sueños. Toda mi vida seguiré tratando de hacerlos orgullosos por que quiero que sepan que sus sacrificios no fueron en vano. Para mi hermana y mi hermano, Ana y Jorge, les agradesco toda una viva de inspiración. Para mi hija Akira, mi sueño para ti es que encuentres tu pasión y que continues trabajando para crear un mundo mas justo. Para mi pareja, Jamual, mi amor desde los quince años. No tengo palabras para agradecerte todo lo que siempre has hecho por mi y por nuestra familia. Lo bueno que he podido contribuir a este mundo es por que siempre me as apoyado y querido. Te amo!
Every story has a beginning, and for me it begins with my thanks to my parents, Rosa and Jorge, for all of the sacrifices they have made so that I had the opportunity to make my dreams come true. Throughout my life I will continue trying to make you proud because I want you to know that your sacrifices were not in vain. For my sister and my brother, Ana and Jorge, I thank you for a lifetime of inspiration. For my daughter Akira, my dream for you is that you find your passion and that you continue to work to create a more just world. For my partner, Jamual, my love since I was fifteen, I have no words to thank you for everything you have always done for me and our family. The good things that I have been able to contribute to this world are because you have always supported and loved me. I love you!
Alicia. First and foremost, I want to thank the authors for writing these amazing testimonios. We are all incredibly grateful for trusting us with your stories and for taking the time to relive the many times traumatic episodes you all share with us and allowing us to witness and celebrate your many successes. I also want to thank Mr. for his love and unconditional support. A mis padres. A mi abuelo Max, (fintas), quien siempre fue partidario de mi educación y maestro, en ejemplo, de disciplina y trabajo duro. A mi abuela Lupe, (Buki), que paso horas ayudandome a aprender las tablas de multiplicar. A mi abuela Hildelisa (Licho), que me amo tal como siempre he sido (su morisqueta la extraña todos los dias) Y finalmente a mis abuelos Agustín y Alicia, que nunca conocí mas cuya sangre corre en mis venas y alimenta mi trabajo y misión.
Luis. Para mi gente, que demuestran los valores del empeño, trabajo duro, y sacrificio. Para mi gente del pasado, que han sacrificado tanto para que yo pueda llegar a donde estoy hoy. Para mi primo Alejandro Sordo Vieira, el niño que me enseñó que uno puede sonreir puramente al frente de una tragedia. Para mi mamá y papá, las personas que siempre estarán a mi lado. Para Sarah y Joaquin—los amo con todo mi corazón. Con cariño para toda mi gente.
Vanessa. This book would not be possible without the authors who shared their powerful stories of success, hardship, and perseverance. I am grateful for your trust and confidence in us as safe-keepers of your stories. Thank you for paving the way for many of us. To my fellow editors, thank you for your dedication and work to make these stories shine and reflect the authors’ authentic voices. Para mis padres, Gloria y Rafael, y mis hermanos, Glorimar y Rafael José, gracias por siempre apoyarme, ser mis fans número uno y una parte vital de mi historia. Para mis abuelos, que aunque su vida no fue fácil, se empeñaron en crear un mejor futuro para nosotros. Su legado vive a través de nosotros—los amo. To my partner Gert, for your love and support, and for always empowering me to use my voice to make a difference. To Elke, for being my friend, cheerleader, and walking by my side in my journey. Para mi gente, que estas historias sean una celebración de nuestro recorrido y el camino que queda por recorrer. To my friends that have become like family, you inspire me to fight the good fight. Finally, to the reader, thank you for honoring these stories with us.
Rosaura. Para mis padres, Rosa y Victor, que han sacrificado tanto por mi y siempre me han brindado amor y apoyo incondicional. Me han enseñado lo importante que es luchar por lo que quieres y nunca darte por vencido. Mi padre siempre dice “No me digas que no puedes, dime que no sabes.’’ Toda mi vida he llevado esta frase en mente que me recuerda que yo puedo, aunque a veces las cosas sean difíciles. Los amo con todo mi ser. For my little sister Fernanda, who is my partner in crime and has always been unafraid to stand up for what she believes is right and just. She inspires me to do better and be better every day. I love you sis. Para mi tío Rafa, que ya no está con nosotros, pero con su ejemplo me enseñó a nunca dejar de aprender. Te extraño. Para toda mi maravillosa familia, son mi fuente de inspiración. Los quiero. Y finalmente, para mi esposo Alek, who is my biggest supporter y una de las personas con el corazón mas grande y lindo que conozco. Siempre ha estado a mi lado ayudandome y apoyandome en todo momento. Te amo hoy y siempre, my love.
Andrés. Para mis creadores, Mami (Sara) y Papi (Rodolfo). Para mis hermanas, Alejandra y Sarah. Para mis padrinos, Ana y Julio. Para mi familia con la que el universo me bendició (mis tíos, tías, primos, y sobrinos) y para mis amigos que se han convertido en familia. Gracias por su amor y por apoyar mis metas. Para mis maestros que me enseñaron a apreciar la belleza de la matemática. Gracias a todos que han cruzado mi camino y me han ayudado a redefinir lo que significa ser matemático. Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto. ¡Pura vida!
For my creators, Mami (Sara) and Papi (Rodolfo). For my sisters, Alejandra and Sarah. For my godparents, Ana and Julio. For my family with whom the universe blessed me with (my uncles, aunts, cousins, and nephews) and for my friends who have become family.Thank you for your love and for supporting my goals. For my teachers who taught me to appreciate the beauty of math. Thank you to everyone who has crossed paths with me and has helped me redefine what it means to be a mathematician. Thank you to this life, which has given me so much. ¡Pura vida!
About the Editors
Dr. Pamela E. Harris is a Mexican-American mathematician and Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Williams College. She received her AA and AS from Milwaukee Area Technical College, BS from Marquette University, and MS and PhD in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Dr. Pamela E. Harris’s research is in algebraic combinatorics and she is the author of over 50 peer-reviewed research articles in internationally recognized journals. An award-winning mathematical educator, Dr. Harris received the 2020 MAA Northeast Section Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching, the 2019 MAA Henry L. Alder Award for Distinguished Teaching by a Beginning College or University Mathematics Faculty Member, the 2019 Council on Undergraduate Research Mathematics and Computer Sciences Division Early Career Faculty Mentor Award, was named a 2020 Inaugural Class of Karen EDGE Fellow, and was one of 50 women featured in the book Power in Numbers: The Rebel Women of Mathematics. Her professional mission is to develop learning communities that reinforce students’ self-identity as scientists, in particular for women and underrepresented minorities. In support of this mission, Dr. Harris co-organizes research symposia and professional development sessions for the national conference of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), and is an editor of the e-Mentoring Network blog of the American Mathematical Society. Moreover, in order to provide visibility to and increase the positive impact of the role models within our community, Dr. Harris co-founded Lathisms.org, a platform that features the contributions of Latinx and Hispanic scholars in the mathematical sciences. She cohosts the podcast “Mathematically Uncensored,” sponsored by The Center for Minorities in the Mathematical Sciences, and has recently coauthored the book Asked And Answered: Dialogues On Advocating For Students of Color in Mathematics.
Dr. Alicia Prieto-Langarica is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Youngstown State University. She obtained the Distinguished Professor designation in May 2020, after being awarded the distinguished professor award in Research, Teaching and Service. She received her Undergraduate degree in applied mathematics from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2008 and her PhD from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2012. Prieto-Langarica’s research is in the intersection of mathematics and biology, specifically problems related to the medical field. Recently she started conducting research in data science, public policy and mathematics education. Some of her awards include the MAA Henry L. Alder Award for Distinguished Teaching by a Beginning College or University Mathematics Faculty Member, the 2020 SmithMurphy Award by the Student Government Association at YSU, the Athena Award Finalist by the Mahoning Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce, and The 25 Under 35 Mahonning Valley Young Professionals MVP award.
Dr. Vanessa Rivera Quiñones is a mathematical biologist with a passion for telling stories through numbers using mathematical models, data science, and education. Born in Puerto Rico, her love for mathematics began at an early age and continued to grow thanks to the encouragement of her family, teachers, and the support of many mentors. She received her bachelor’s (BS) degree from the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras (2013) and her doctoral degree (2019) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in mathematics. She has been involved in several organizations and initiatives that focus on broadening the participation and mentoring of underrepresented students in mathematics. In 2015, she was awarded the Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship, which seeks to diversify colleges and universities. She is a proud member of multiple national organizations such as the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM), SACNAS, American Mathematical Society (AMS), Mathematical Association of America (MAA), and the National Alliance for Doctoral Studies in the Mathematical Sciences. She believes mathematics is a human endeavor and that by creating inclusive and equitable environments that embrace the identities of who does mathematics, our community will flourish. Currently, she is a data science consultant and instructor. At the next step of her career, she is interested in working on the ever-growing challenges of sustainability, healthcare, and education through a social justice lens.
Dr. Luis Sordo Vieira is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at The University of Florida. He is a Venezuelan-American Applied Mathematician with scientific experience broadly described as being in the area of systems medicine. He completed his Bachelor of Science from Wayne State University in mathematics, minoring in physics, and his PhD in number theory from the University of Kentucky as a National Science Foundation Graduate Student Fellow. He has served in the Lathisms leadership team since 2019. Dr. Sordo Vieira has served in the organizing committee for The Mathematics Summer Workshop for Achieving Greater Graduate Educational Readiness, a program to prepare students from underrepresented minorities in mathematics for graduate studies. He is a Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics Science Policy Fellow and received the American Mathematical Society Simons Foundation Travel Grant.
Dr. Rosaura Uscanga Lomelí was born in Mexico and came to the U.S. at the age of 11, so she considers herself a Mexican-American. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciences at Mercy College (as of Fall 2021). Her research area lies in mathematics education, specifically in the teaching and learning of abstract algebra. She completed her PhD at Oklahoma State University in 2021. Her dissertation explored students’ thinking regarding the concept of “function” in the context of abstract algebra. She received her BS in mathematics from The University of Texas at Arlington in 2012 and her MS in mathematics from Oklahoma State University in 2015. Dr. Uscanga is passionate about teaching and enjoys working with students—one of the reasons she decided to study mathematics education. She strives to make sure students in her classroom feel a sense of belonging and view themselves positively in relation to mathematics. She is extremely interested in issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion in mathematics.
Dr. Andrés R. Vindas Meléndez is a Costa Rican-American mathematician, raised in Lynwood, South East Los Angeles, California. He is a first-generation college graduate and is currently a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley and Mathematical Sciences Research Institute Postdoctoral Fellow. He completed his PhD at the University of Kentucky where he was supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and by a National Science Foundation Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Bridge to Doctorate Fellowship. At the University of Kentucky he was also an affiliated graduate student in the Latin American Studies program and earned a graduate certificate in Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino/a Studies. He earned a master’s degree in mathematics at San Francisco State University and completed his undergraduate degree in mathematics at the University of California, Berkeley where he also minored in Philosophy and Chicana/o & Latina/o Studies. His research interests are in algebraic, enumerative, and geometric combinatorics. In particular, he is interested in lattice-point enumeration for polyhedra. Dr. Vindas Meléndez’s teaching, service, and outreach is student-centered. He has the opportunity to help guide students to learn abstract mathematics and find their voice while also developing a sense of ownership of their knowledge and mathematical abilities. Dr. Vindas Meléndez strives to create community in order to build students’ confidence in spite of society’s negative messages and stigma about mathematics. He also aims to build meaningful and empowering experiences with mathematics, while also challenging others to think about the power structures that are present in and outside mathematical spaces.
[1] This is the official nickname for Pamela. [2] This book was written and edited during the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Editorial note from MKL: This article was written for the Early Career Section of the Notices of the American Mathematical Society and it will appear in the February 2024 issue. I am sharing it early as a preprint in the hopes that it will be useful for incoming graduate students, postdocs, and other junior mathematicians who are attempting to navigate the norms of a new department this fall and winter. I initially intended to share this much earlier in the academic year, but delayed due to the ongoing genocide in Gaza which has taken much of my organizing energy and attention. Thank you to Krystal Taylor (an editor of the Early Career Section) for inviting me to write this piece and thank you to my fellow i/e editors for giving me the chance to share it early via this blog.
There’s this feeling that we should just be grateful. We should be grateful that we made it. We don’t deserve to ask for more. What I want us to walk away from this discussion with is the idea that we should always be willing to ask for more for ourselves and for the people around us until we are all being treated with humaneness [sic], with dignity, and with respect. That is what we deserve and anything less than that is toxic. And that is a hard and very difficult standard to hold for yourself in a space which is always degrading our value and the value of those around us. It is hard not to internalize that we deserve less. So if the only thing you take away from this is to say, “Whatever you say I deserve, I deserve more.” That’s good. Because it’s true.
Setting the scene
When I was an undergraduate student, I was sexually harassed by one of my computer science (CS) professors for well over a year. It started with small things, like him hanging out in the majors-only upper-division CS lab. Then he asked me to add him on Facebook and started messaging me often. Before I knew it, he was finding excuses to touch me. Eventually he told me he loved me (needless to say, I did not feel the same). I was only 19 at the time (I first met him at 16 and was 17 when I took my first class from him). I felt overwhelmed and out of my depth. Meanwhile, the men in my CS cohort started making snide jabs suggesting I was receiving preferential treatment from faculty (it didn’t help that I consistently outperformed my all male cohort on both homework and exams). I knew something wasn’t right, but I didn’t know what to do about it. I didn’t even know how to name what was happening. It wasn’t until I shared my experiences with several women in my summer REU program that I was given the words to describe my experience: sexual harassment and abuse of power. In retrospect, it all seems so obvious, but abuse thrives in isolation. Without those women in my REU listening to me and affirming my experience I don’t know how long it would have taken me to speak the truth of my situation.
Fast forward to my first year of graduate school. Once again I was quite isolated as one of the only women of color in my graduate program. I was consistently treated as less than by both my peers and my professors, from being excluded from departmental leadership roles that highlighted mathematical drive (like organizing the graduate student geometry and topology seminar) to never once receiving departmental recognition for any of my accomplishments (grants such as NSF postdocs are usually celebrated with an email to the department, but not mine) to being told to my face time and time again that I didn’t belong. Suffice it to say, my graduate school experience was less than ideal (you can read a little bit more about it here), but the experience nonetheless felt very different than the sexual harassment I had suffered in undergrad. My negative experiences in graduate school weren’t confined to a damaging relationship with one faculty member or consistently obscured by the power that faculty hold over their students; they happened all the time and right out in the open in front of everyone1. At times it felt almost impossible to talk about these negative experiences, not because I felt like I had to keep quiet, but because it felt just too damn normal for anyone to care.
It’s been four years since I graduated with my PhD. Three (extremely terrible) years of postdoc and one (pretty good) year of tenure-track later, I’ve realized more and more how pervasive this culture of isolation, discrimination, and exclusion is in mathematical spaces, especially for Black mathematicians like me2. In that time, I’ve also come to believe more strongly than ever in the power of organizing with the people around us to demand what’s ours: respect, dignity, and fair treatment. Unfortunately, what we consider to be fair is so often shaped by how the people around us are treated, and even more unfortunately, academia is a pyramid scheme in which exploitation is normalized especially for people at the base of the pyramid3. So how can we talk about what to expect, what we deserve, and what we can demand when toxicity and exploitation is the norm?
I certainly don’t have all the answers, but my hope is that this article can help some up-and-coming mathematicians– especially Black mathematicians, Indigenous mathematicians, disabled mathematicians, trans mathematicians, and those living in the intersections of any of these communities or who belong to other communities that continue to be marginalized within academic mathematics – decide to take up more space for themselves and for those around them. I hope that this article will help you (yes, you, dear reader) develop strategies for creating and maintaining high expectations for how you and those around you deserve to be treated even when you are surrounded by norms that tell you that you are lucky to even be in mathematics in the first place and you should just be happy with whatever you get. I want us all to find the strength to say, “This is how I deserve to be treated and I will not accept anything less.”
Building some shared language
Not only do I not have all the answers, since my professional training is in research mathematics, I don’t even have all the language to describe the problems I want to find answers to (language which I’m sure exists in the wealth of social science literature on workplace culture and harassment). So in order to make this conversation more meaningful, I will do what every mathematician does: I’m going to offer some definitions that will give me enough structure to discuss the problems at hand in a meaningful way. In particular, I want to highlight two types of harmful norms that I have encountered within academic spaces.
Toxic norm: A negative experience that is widely shared within a community regardless of your individual background or identity.
Pseudo norm: A negative experience that you are expected to accept as normal but is not typical for other individuals in your community or those with different marginalized identities than your own.
Remember, I introduced these terms to help me articulate my experiences and to give us a framework for discussion. These are not distinct categories by any means and how you interpret your experiences as either stemming from toxic norms or pseudo norms will vary significantly especially depending on your own identities and on your local community!
For me the stories I described in the introduction very broadly illustrate the distinction between these two types of norms: the sexual harassment I experienced in college was a pseudo norm, the horrible experience I had in graduate school (especially during the first couple of years) was much closer to a toxic norm although many of the individual negative incidents of racism or sexism that I experienced were manifestations of pseudo norms. That is, having a bad experience during your first year of graduate school is very common and the community expectation that we should just accept that graduate school will be terrible at times (to the point of destroying our mental health and wellness) lends itself as cover to many specific instances of racism and discrimination. After all, everyone is having a hard time so why should your experience be any different? But having a hard time because of too high teaching loads, uncaring faculty, and a lack of healthcare or a living wage and having a hard time because you are experiencing racist microaggressions from your classmates and professors on top of all of those other problems are just not the same experiences. This brings me to my final observation about toxic norms vs pseudo norms: toxic norms are often specifically weaponized against marginalized students in a way that creates pseudo norms. Let’s consider the following case study to drive this point home.
Case study: Imposter syndrome
Wikipedia defines imposter syndrome as “a psychological occurrence in which people doubt their skills, talents, or accomplishments and have a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as frauds”. Academics love throwing around the term imposter syndrome, especially in the face of every marginalized scholar who gives voice to the fear that there isn’t a place for them in the academy. It’s the perfect way to make structural problems into personal failings. Because while imposter syndrome is a real experience for some people, for many marginalized scholars the fear of being an “imposter” isn’t just a “persistent internalized fear”. The reality is that many of us are told day in and day out that we do not belong, our accomplishments are undermined and diminished, and we can find ourselves on the receiving end of months of racist harassment for simply announcing that we accepted a job which other people don’t think we deserve4. So while imposter syndrome is aptly classified as a toxic norm to be expected in any pyramid scheme like academia, it often morphs into a pseudo norm used to silence marginalized people who dare to express their experiences of exclusion.
Strategies for success
Now that we have a way to articulate what we’re up against, it’s time to talk about how to challenge these harmful norms as you encounter them. If you find yourself having a negative experience in your department, research group, or any other mathematical space, here is a checklist that I hope you will find useful in deciding what to do next.
Step 1: Are you experiencing a toxic norm or a pseudo norm? If you’re not sure, think about the experiences of the people around you. Is what’s happening to you a common experience for people with a variety of different identities or does it seem to only be happening to you either because of your identity or because of the power that someone holds over you (like your advisor, department chair, or the chair of your tenure committee)? Remember, these norms aren’t completely distinct, but usually experiences tend to lean one way or the other.
Step 2: Regardless of your answer in Step 1, the way forward is never alone. Community is the antidote for any kind of harmful norm.
Toxic norms crumble in the face of supportive and care-based communities.
Because toxic norms are often widely experienced regardless of individual identity, they can be effectively tackled through collective action!
Organize with your peers5! Brainstorm solutions! Push for change!
Pseudo norms thrive in silence and isolation.
Find trusted friends and accomplices to share your experiences with. This can be scary and overwhelming. Take things at your own pace.
Pseudo norms are not as commonly experienced as toxic norms (although they are still pervasive!), which makes collective organizing more difficult. They are often imposed on you by people with direct power over you.
Each situation is different, but shining a light on the problem is crucial. Nevertheless, you don’t owe anyone your story.
Step 3: Document everything as a defense against gaslighting6.
One of the ways that toxic and pseudo norms persist is by convincing us that our experiences are not as terrible as we’ve experienced them to be or that they are a result of personal failings rather than external environmental causes.
An effective way to combat gaslighting is by documentation! This is especially important when dealing with pseudo norms that may not be widely experienced by your peers.
Step 4: Don’t become a toxic norm enforcer!
The “if I had to suffer, so should you”-mentality is VERY easy to fall into! And it’s a common way that toxic norms are perpetuated.
The “we’ve always done it this way”-mentality is probably the PRIMARY way that toxic norms survive because it gives us cover to not do the hard work of figuring out what needs to change and how. An unwillingness to disrupt the status quo keeps us perpetuating the same cycles of harm without even needing to actively recognize the damage we are doing.
Of course, norms can also be good! But they need to be set intentionally and revisited frequently. Good norms also need to be enforced (just like the toxic ones have been for so long)! Accountability is key.
Know your worth
At the end of the day, living in a world where people enrich themselves on the backs of our dehumanization is a constant assault on our sense of self. It is a truly revolutionary act to stay grounded in a deep understanding of our innate worth and the innate worth of the people around us. So I want to end with some affirmations. Read them. Say them. Share them. Believe them. And then go out and help build a mathematical community that realizes them.
I deserve to be treated with the utmost dignity and respect.
I deserve to have my mathematical talent acknowledged and supported7.
I deserve to be treated as an expert on my own experience.
I deserve to be recognized as a complete and complex human being with identities and experiences that materially impact the way I am treated in mathematical spaces.
I deserve to voice my experiences and concerns without suffering retaliation or professional harm.
I deserve justice and restorative care.
Footnotes
For example, before the end of my first semester multiple white men in my cohort told me that I only received the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship because I was a woman of color and they would have been awarded it if they weren’t both white and male. This is only the tip of the iceberg. ↩︎
And, let’s be real, this toxic culture and straight-up racism in mathematics is far harsher for Black mathematicians whose features (skin tone, hair texture, and facial features), unlike mine, read as unambiguously Black and often make them subject to even further discrimination rooted in colorism, texturism, and featurism. ↩︎
The examples of this are too numerous for me to enumerate them, but one very concrete example of this is the poor pay, benefits, and working conditions that so many graduate students, postdocs, and adjuncts experience. Yes, even in mathematics and other STEM fields! ↩︎
Yes, this is a real thing that has happened to me and other marginalized scholars. ↩︎
I’m talking about collective action here, not organizing a research seminar, just so we’re on the same page. This might look like getting involved with your local union, like forming a group to lobby the department chair/college dean to fulfill specific asks, or even forming an affinity group where people can share their experiences and realize they are not alone. ↩︎
Explanatory comma – Gaslighting refers to the act of undermining another person’s sense of knowing their own reality by denying facts, the environment around them, or their feelings. ↩︎
Sometimes this affirmation needs to be directed inward before we can direct it outward. We deserve to recognize our own mathematical talent and potential! Especially when those around us are working overtime to convince us we don’t have any. ↩︎
Editorial note from MKL: The “X” in the title refers to a variable whose precise value changes as in a mathematical equation. This is made clear in the body of the piece itself. It does not refer to the new name of the website formerly known as Twitter.
Gathering (some of) the facts
I wrote this post to document for myself what it’s been like being a mathematician during genocide: how mathematicians are reacting (and how they are justifying those reactions as mathematicians), what they are ignoring, what they are prioritizing, and how they can choose to act in solidarity with Palestinians. But first, given how rapidly the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, it feels necessary to record a snapshot of the facts on the ground as they are right now, as I write this sentence:
Israel has arrested thousands of Palestinians – just in the last 6 weeks– and tried them in military courts with a 99% conviction rate in preparation for a potential prisoner exchange.
The number of human rights experts, independent NGO’s, and humanitarian organizations that have characterized this as a genocide of the Palestinian people continues to grow. For example Martin Griffiths, the UN under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, made clear – live on CNN– that the destruction in Gaza is the “worst ever” that he’s seen after decades in the field.
The IDF continues to put out a stream of remarkably lazy– and quite literally unbelievable– propaganda. Official military spokespeople have now falsely claimed to:
While I wish not to spend time on this for reasons this excellent piece makes clear, I can already hear the incessant chorus from colleagues and other readers: “I noticed you didn’t mention the terrorist attacks! Do you not condemn Hamas? WHY DO YOU NOT CONDEMN??” So in the interest of balance, let me also give a summary for the events of October 7, as I so far understand them:
An operation (spearheaded by Hamas but in which several different militant groups participated) was conducted in which armed militantsbroke through the physical barriers cutting off the 2.3 million inhabitants– most of them refugees– of Gaza from the rest of the world, and both many unarmed Israelis (including, tragically, children) and many armed Israelis were killed.
Several first hand testimonials– both from Israeli civilians and Israeli soldiers– suggest that Israeli civilians may have been killed by IDF crossfire.
Hundreds of Israeli civilians were taken hostage and brought back to Gaza. And for most of the last 6 weeks, many of their families have been pleading with (and protesting against) their own government to engage in a broad prisoner exchange of the type that was already on the table within the first week of the war. Now that such an exchange has begun, fascist Israeli officials are literally outlawing the public expression of joy for Palestinians who are being reunited with loved ones held without charge or trial in Israeli prisons for years.
This second list is shorter, in part because less details are known for certain. But another reason why this list is shorter is because I am choosing to emphasize the genocidal onslaught enacted by Israel and against Palestinians, and supported by my government and my tax dollars. The rhetorical role of the demand for condemnation is to force us to place Hamas beyond all comprehension and context; it asks us to stop thinking, and then immediately, to step in line and cheer as the bombs fall. I refuse to follow that script. And in any case, I do not claim to be objective, removed, or above the fray, and the reader who is upset with my summary is free to compile their own.
Me: Tarik Aougab
I owe those who make it this far some description of who I am, why this matters to me, and how my position and identity influences my own subjectivities. First and foremost, I am Algerian and Jewish American; one side of my family is Amazigh Indigenous Algerian and Muslim, and the other is Ashkenazi Jewish.
Algerians and Palestinians have shared a decades-long solidarity, and each of the two peoples see their own anti-colonial struggle in the experiences of the other. My family knows what it means to suffer under brutal colonial rule, and what it means to risk everything for freedom. As an Algerian, I was raised on these lessons, and raised to feel deep love and compassion for Palestine and for Palestinians. When Palestinians are dehumanized, I am also dehumanized, as an Arab. And for the record, almost all Arabs I know who live in the US are reporting levels of racism and discrimination that match or even exceed the days immediately after 9/11. So I am only safe in a world where Palestine is free.
As mentioned above, I am also Jewish. My great grandfather emigrated from Russia to escape pogroms and forced conscription and many of my ancestors in (what is now) Hungary were exterminated in the Holocaust. I was raised with both Jewish and Muslim traditions, celebrated both sets of holidays, and was exposed to religious and cultural lessons from both traditions. In particular, I ground my anti-Zionism within– as opposed to in spite of– my Jewish culture. It is for this reason that me and other members of my family and community have chosen to risk arrest, political persecution, and even serious bodily harm at protests lead by anti-Zionist Jewish organizations and activists who refuse to let genocide be carried out in their names. When Palestinians are dehumanized in the name of Judaism, I am also dehumanized, as a Jew. Similarly, when Israelis argue that Jews who do not support their murderous regime should be shunned or culled, what they are doing is erasing a storied tradition of anti-Zionist Jewry. They aim to place constraints on what Judaism is and what it looks like, and in particular, they hope to conflate it with and implicate it in crimes against humanity, in apartheid, and in genocide. I view it as a deep and irreparable corruption of a beautiful tradition that my ancestors have practiced for generations. So once again: I am only safe in a world where Palestine is free.
What does this have to do with “X”?
The title of this post comes from Steven Strogatz’s The Joy of X, referencing (amongst other things…) the joy and pleasure of doing mathematics for its own sake. So one way to interpret the title is that it was chosen for a post that means to explore what being in the mathematics world looks like in the context of everything mentioned above. But before we take a serious step in that direction, I’ll just mention that another reason for choosing this title is to emphasize that we are all– in one way or another– involved.
Medical and healthcare professionals are coming together to protest the intentional destruction of hospitals and emergency infrastructure. Dock workers are refusing to load weapons and other military cargo heading for Israel. Legal scholars are demanding that Israel no longer flagrantly violate international humanitarian law, and Palestinian lawyers are ingeniously crafting frameworks for capturing the unique colonial history of Palestine. Journalists are speaking up for their Palestinian colleagues who are displaying unimaginable courage to document war crimes while Israel intentionally targets them. Poets and other cultural workers are resigning from their positions at publications whose coverage dehumanizes Palestinians. Grassroots student-led movements that aim to push their institutions towards divestment of Israeli holdings are sweeping the U.S. All this to say: there can be no sidelines during genocide, and so one should interpret “X” in the way that we as mathematicians are used to doing: it is a stand-in, a variable. It can be anything, because we all need to be asking what it means to do whatever it is that we do in the context of this crisis.
Our Black, Brown, and anti-Zionist students are being targeted
Now, as students in the US are rising up against genocide, Israeli academic institutions are uniting behind one banner to defame and discredit them. And this should matter to anyone who sets foot in the classroom, because our Arab, Black, Brown, and anti-Zionist Jewish students are being doxxed and harassed. They feel betrayed by their home institutions who choose again and again to criminalize them before empathizing with them, for example:
The list goes on. And the theme that binds these examples together is the conflation of genuine danger for Black and Brown students going face to face with cops who look for the smallest excuse to brutalize them; or being shot simply for being Palestinian, wearing kuffiyeh, and speaking Arabic, with the discomfort of Zionist (some Jewish, many others who are Christian, and some of the latter who are truly anti-semitic!) students, faculty, and alumni. Those in the latter category are perhaps understandably triggered by the political moment we are experiencing (and those Zionists who are Jewish may also be experiencing genuine anti-semitism simply because anti-semitism is a scourge that we need to eradicate, and unfortunately it’s common; it just happens to be completely distinct from anti-Zionism) but who do not know how to metabolize or process those feelings and who instead choose to demonize calls for freedom and liberation.
As I’m sure anyone who is plugged into Black and Brown student groups can confirm, the divide on campus is stark. On one side, there are Arab, Black, and Brown students (together with anti-Zionist allies) who justifiably see their own family’s anti-colonial struggles as being intimately connected to what is now happening in Palestine, and who know too well the feeling of being animalized; of being told that they’re too angry, or too loud, or too scary to be taken seriously. On the other side is everyone else, usually including administration.
This is (what I hope is) a deeply relatable emotional spiral, and at least for me, it naturally bottoms out into anger. I am angry at the world; I am angry on behalf of the Palestinian people; I am angry for myself. But of course, we are not all granted the space to be angry in equal measure. This is something that many Black and Brown people understand, because they are forced to: our survival depends on understanding how white people perceive our completely justified and healthy anger to be criminal, savage, or uniquely violent.
Are mathematicians capable of making space for Palestinian anger?
In this context of brutal repression, the least I could do for myself– and for the Palestinians who are literally begging us to pay attention – was to elevate the voices of those very Palestinians. And so, on my personal social media account (which has less than 200 followers and on which I don’t use my full name or identify myself as faculty or as a mathematician), that’s what I did. On October 7, I retweeted celebratory images of Palestinian civilians breaking free from their open air prison in creative and imaginative ways (contrary to what Israeli President Isaac Herzog would have you believe, namely that “there are no innocent civilians in Gaza”, “Palestinian civilian” is not an oxy-moron); and then after October 7, I retweeted Palestinians expressing their full range of anger as they endured indiscriminate bombing. And I conveyed the messages that I saw Palestinians shouting as loudly as they possibly could, on all platforms: FUCK Israel, and FUCK the U.S. for aiding and abetting this atrocity!
I would not sanitize their anger then, and I will not sanitize my own, now, in this post. And for this, and because I chose to give a talk at the University of Toronto’s wonderfully organized Equity Forum on decolonizing mathematics with a focus on the boycott of Israeli academic institutions, I was doxxed. Someone went through the effort of ferreting out my personal account, connecting it to the talk I was to give, and whipping up an online mob who (1) sent me racist, dehumanizing, and threatening messages, and (2) made contact with the administration at my home institution to try and get me fired.
Put simply, the crime of which I was guilty– that which made me deserving of harassment– was doing the little I could to ensure Palestinian will was represented in a space that systematically excludes it. In other words, if my sin is located in my retweets and in my talk, and that sin makes me unfit for the classroom, what does that suggest about the very many Palestinians who share the exact same sentiments that I expressed? Are they also unfit? Can they be angry, or do we only let them into our academic spaces if they’re well enough behaved? Note that in this calculus, “good behavior” entails lying down and dying, so even the obedient don’t make it through.
Unfortunately, I am not the only “misbehaved” one who– I hear through the grapevine– some are telling their students and colleagues to avoid in the aftermath of this controversy. The organizer of that forum– Ila Varma– went through the intensely thoughtful process of cultivating a space in which the talk could take place and not be heckled, interrupted, or shouted down.
To understand why such effort is necessary, it’s important to keep in mind the political climate in the vast majority of American and Canadian mathematics departments. Most North American mathematicians have a number of Israeli colleagues, but very few know even a single Palestinian mathematician. Of course this is no accident: the realities of apartheid and occupation make participation in the international academic community very difficult. Those same obstacles do not confront Israeli mathematicians and Zionists, and so the politics on Israel/Palestine in most Western mathematics departments are skewed very heavily towards Israel. This means that if someone wants to organize an event that will attempt to represent Palestinians (and for the reasons just described, this is already a rarity), a tremendous amount of effort must go into figuring out how to moderate that event so that it can proceed successfully.
Ila did just that, and they did it for the Palestinian students in their own department who expressed how unwelcome they’ve always felt there, but now especially so. Those students wouldn’t have been able to act, react, and interact fully and freely if the audience was stacked with Zionist detractors. So Ila chose to reply to all who expressed interest in coming to the talk with an open letter against the assault on Gaza (of which I am a coauthor), and encouraged faculty attendees to sign. Signing was not a prerequisite for attendance, and indeed several faculty attended the talk who did not sign. But this helped to set a tone for the event: these are the political commitments of the speaker and they will be treated essentially as axioms in this talk; the presence of someone whose only interest is to question or negate those axioms runs counter to the talk’s objective– to create space for our own Palestinian students to feel that they belong here.
In any case, in part because of the controversy already swirling on social media, Ila hosted the talk in Q&A mode, with chat and unmuting functions disabled. And the video of the talk is still available to view in full on their website, meaning that anyone who did not attend could simply watch the talk on their own time and miss nothing of the experience. Nevertheless, right wing buffoons picked up the story and portrayed it as a professor forcing their colleagues to sign a political statement “condemning Israel” in order to attend. Ila is still navigating the consequences of all of the negative attention that came from this. But rather than being protected or supported by the chair of the department and the dean of the faculty, they have instead received a “letter of concern” from the Dean citing a perceived incursion of academic freedom of other faculty. And the chair has decided to pause the Equity Forum starting in 2024 until further notice as a part of a review of all “equity”-related activities in math.
So, what do we do?
We do everything we can to center Palestinians: their voices, their feelings, and their full humanity. We engage in solidarity– just like all of the other workers doing it in their own ways, with their own “X”, in their own spheres of influence– by feeding into movements already led and spearheaded by Palestinians. In our case, as mathematicians, we’re lucky in that we don’t have to be clever or creative, because Palestinian scholars have been asking us to do essentially one thing on their behalf, for the last 25 years: academic boycott of Israeli universities complicit in maintaining apartheid and occupation. The Just Mathematics Collective (JMC) has a campaign that you can join– available at the link in the previous sentence. It is open to all STEM practitioners, at any level of the academic hierarchy. Please, please join us.
I personally worked on the JMC campaign statement, and I’ve been organizing to bring more people on as signatories for two years. Just in the last 6 weeks, I have emailed hundreds of mathematicians and scientists about this, and had dozens upon dozens of one-on-one conversations. I’ve interacted with many mathematicians on social media; some of those conversations were fruitful, most were not. But I feel the need to engage in those conversations, even though I know I won’t convince anyone of anything, when I see mathematicians parroting Israeli government talking points but also framing them– as mathematicians are wont to do– as if they are the clearly “logical” and obvious positions that any critically thinking person would take. It’s one thing to say what you believe and leave it at that, but another to imply that anyone who disagrees– including the millions in the global South who resonate with the struggle of Palestine – is illogical, irrational, or beyond the pale in some other way.
This is why Palestinians– and more broadly, Black and Brown students and scholars with anti-colonial family histories– don’t feel welcome in our mathematics departments. It is not only because they know that faculty by and large don’t recognize their rights to peace and self-determination (although it certainly is partially that!), but also because so many among us equate the willingness to dehumanize them with the capacity to think logically itself, i.e., with the very basis of doing mathematics. How can anyone expect Palestinians to feel welcome in this environment? And how can faculty who have overseen these sorts of climates for years feel as though they’re in any way qualified to pass judgment on events aimed at undoing some of their damage?
For concreteness, some examples:
I’ve seen scientists speculate that IQ positively correlates with pro-Israel perspectives, and that therefore STEM faculty are less likely than their counterparts in the humanities to “fall prey” to Palestinian talking points (it would take another 10 pages to unpack everything wrong with this.)
I’ve seen mathematicians argue that to apply the colonial framework to Israel– something done by millions of Palestinian and non-Palestinian thinkers, artists, activists, scientists – is “stupid” and “dumb” (their words).
I’ve seen mathematicians argue– via an appeal to common sense– that giving a talk about boycotting Israeli academic institutions amounts to inciting violence (this included the implication that I somehow represent Hamas).
Finally, and maybe most importantly, I’ve seen many mathematicians who will approach me privately, and let me know that they care about Palestinians and agree with everything we say in our JMC campaign. But when they think rationally, they realize they just can’t jeopardize their working relationships with Israeli colleagues. After all, they’re on the job market, they’re up for tenure, they’re writing a paper, etc.
As grotesque as that last form of “rationality” is– a rationality that prioritizes professional opportunity over life itself– I sympathize with those who feel trapped by it, and I know firsthand that many of them are probably enduring deep internal turmoil. It would be easy to dismiss them as insensitive careerists if I hadn’t spent years in graduate school feeling similarly: that if I wanted to make it, I needed to shut up and keep my head down. But at some point this became untenable; I was poisoning myself. To say and do nothing when the asks of Palestinians were so clear – and also so simple! – was very literally sickening to me. As Audre Lorde tells us, our silence will not protect us. If you feel similarly, you don’t have to email hundreds of people or give controversial talks to mitigate that feeling; you can simply take the small step of adding your signature– and your commitment to peace and justice– to dozens of others.
It feels most natural to end a piece about centering Palestinian voices in our spaces, with the voice of a Palestinian. And so to any of you who are still on the fence, or who are worried that speaking up now will cost you an opportunity later, I leave you with Edward Said:
Nothing in my view is more reprehensible than those habits of mind in the intellectual that induce avoidance, that characteristic turning away from a difficult and principled position, which you know to be the right one, but which you decide not to take. You do not want to appear too political; you are afraid of seeming controversial; you want to keep a reputation for being balanced, objective, moderate; your hope is to be asked back, to consult, to be on a board or prestigious committee, and so to remain within the responsible mainstream; someday you hope to get an honorary degree, a big prize, perhaps even an ambassadorship. For an intellectual these habits of mind are corrupting par excellence. If anything can denature, neutralize, and finally kill a passionate intellectual life it is the internalization of such habits. Personally I have encountered them in one of the toughest of all contemporary issues, Palestine, where fear of speaking out about one of the greatest injustices in modern history has hobbled, blinkered, muzzled many who know the truth and are in a position to serve it. For despite the abuse and vilification that any outspoken supporter of Palestinian rights and self-determination earns for him or herself, the truth deserves to be spoken, represented by an unafraid and compassionate intellectual.