What is Intersectionality?
It is better to understand how identities and power work together from one context to another, the less likely our movements for change are to fracture.
-Kimberly Crenshaw
The term intersectionality provides us a name and foundation for which we seek to explore. Intersectionality describes how identities (i.e. gender, sexuality, religion, skin tone, race) combine to create complex interwoven statuses that drive individual and group experiences, within societies systems of privilege and oppression (Carboda et al., 2014; Case et al., 2012; and Lopez et al., 2017). Through an examination of the totality of these identities we can visualize and see the result of how they interact on an organizational, structural, disciplinary, political, and institutional level placing us in positions of privilege and oppression.
Early documented intersectional discussions can be seen as far back as the 1970’s through a written declaration via Combahee River Collective (1977/1995) conceptualizing that race, sex and class discrimination into political spheres. This concept would be furthered in academic discourse by Kimberly Crenshaw. Crenshaw (1989, 1991) originally uses the position of the Black woman to illustrate the concept of intersectionality showing that privilege and oppression are often seen as a binary concept, cleanly dividing into haves and have nots, when in reality it is a far more complex than this simplistic viewpoint. If we consider feminist ideology, Crenshaw (1989, 1991) shows us that historically feminist ideals have had one dominant voice. Although feminist thought and theory has numerous overlapping arguments (i.e. equity of personhood) the dominant voice has been tuned to White feminist thought and needs, pushing an incomplete viewpoint. Traditionally, White women were seen as delicate, passive, something to be cherished and were to be the dutiful housewife. This required the fight for equality to be framed in a way that shows White women as strong, independent and to be valued outside of the home. Black women historically, were also not seen as delicate or something to be protected, but were seen as hypersexualized, exotic, and something to be owned and dominated. This view point had real life consequences specifically related to rape culture. Black women faced continuous terror as rape culture rarely held White men accountable for their crimes against Black women. Black women were also traditionally not housewives but were out in the working world because two incomes (at minimum) were required for the Black family to survive due to inequities in pay between White and Black men. Black women also faced unattainable beauty standards due to differences in body physique when compared to their White counterparts, as well as light skin and Eurocentric hair type preference. Finally Black women also faced being invisible in the workplace, as their position of being a double minority (being Black and a woman) was often ignored and misunderstood (see DeGraffenreid v. General Motors).
Why Should We Consider this Across Disciplines?
A Call to Action
Current intersectional discourse shows the ever growing need to consider the complexities of identity constructs and how they relate and interact with societal structures of power, privilege and oppression. We see this need in everyday life as well as across academic disciplines. Cole (2009) pushes us to consider what more can be done in psychology and related disciplines to utilize intersectionality to inform practice, policy, procedure and knowledge base to be more inclusive. Rodrigues et al. (2023) encourages those within the hard sciences to create a new framework that allows for intersectional thought and discourse to promote a more comprehensive and inclusive environment. Martinez Dy & MacNeil (2023) argue the importance of not just talking about intersectionality but adequately using intersectional ideals to consider privilege and oppression within the entrepreneurship industry. Across disciplines we can see a call to action emerging.
In this conference on intersectionality, we seek to answer that call to action. Intersectionality allows for so much in-depth discussion, connecting the dots to various identities and societal systems. It opens the door for cross discipline interaction, with the goal of seeing how various disciplines could connect and work together for greater understanding of the world at large. Ultimately the concept of intersectionality allows us all to participate in that deeper dive discussion that lays the foundation for actionable change.
References
Carbado, D., Crenshaw, K., Mays, V., & Tomlinson, B. (2014). Intersectionality: Mapping the movements of a theory. Du Bois Rev,, 10(2), 303-312.
Case, K., Iuzzini, J., & Hopkins, M. (2012). Systems of privilege: intersections, awareness,and applications. Journal of Social Issues, 68(1), 1-10.
Cole, E. R. (2009). Intersectionality and Research in Psychology. American Psychologist, 64(3), 170–180. DOI: 10.1037/a0014564
Crenshaw, K. (1989). Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: A Black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine. University of Chicago Legal Forum, 139-168.
Crenshaw, K. (1991). Mapping the margins: Intersectionality, identity politics and violence against women of color. Stanford Law Review,, 43(6), 1241-1299.
Lopez, N., Erwin, N., Binder, M., & Chavez, M. (2017). Making the invisible visible: Advancing quantitative methods in higher education using critical race theory and intersectionality. Race, Ethnicity and Education, 21(2), 180-07.
Martinez Dy, A., & MacNeil, H. (2023). “Doing inequality, doing intersectionality”: intersectionality as threshold concept for studying inequalities in entrepreneurial activity. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research. 10.1108/IJEBR-12-2022-1113
Rodrigues, I., Fahim, C., Garad, Y., Presseau, J., Hoens, A., Braimoh, J., Duncan, D., Bruyn-Martin, L., & Straus, S. (2023). Developing the intersectionality supplemented Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and tools for intersectionality considerations. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 23(1). 10.1186/s12874-023-02083-4
~Meet the Conference Founders and Chairs~
Vikki A. Carpenter, PhD
Conference Founder and Chair
Dr. Carpenter is a published author, researcher, advocate and mentor.
Dr. Vikki Carpenter is an Assistant Professor of Social Science at Heritage University, teaching criminal justice, political science and sociological subject matter. Dr. Carpenter presents on intersectionality and colorism at conferences and on her campus. She has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Washington State University, a master’s degree in criminal justice from University of Cincinnati, and PhD in Psychology from Keiser University. Her dissertation research focused on intersectionality, self-efficacy and colorism.
Dr. Carpenter has 5+ years working and advocating for pregnant and parenting teens in her area as the Assistant Director of Pregnant/Parenting Teen Advocacy Program (PTAP). The goal of PTAP is to walk side by side with local pregnant or parenting teens to get them across the high school graduation finish line and into a vocation or into college. PTAP teaches life and critical thinking skills, connects PTAP clients with services and through donations from the community provides clothes, diapers, formula and more. Dr. Carpenter also serves on her local Community Engagement Board (CEB) which assists youth who are truant in school to problem solve and connect to services before they are sent to court.
In her free time, Dr. Carpenter loves to spend time with her family and dogs, garden and write.
Dr. Kuchinka has 35 years of experience leading, mentoring and advocating. Dr. Kuchinka serves his students as a mentor, dissertation Chair, and dedicated educator, who's faith is at the core of his existence.
Dr. Daniel G. J. Kuchinka earned a master's degree in communication studies and a PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Dr. Kuchinka has taught in higher education for over 14 years, mentoring numerous students through their thesis and dissertation phases. Dr. Kuchinka is currently a Graduate Professor with Keiser University and Adjunct Professor at Saint Peter’s University.
Dr. Kuchinka has accumulated over 15 years of leadership experience including an executive role, and holds 15+ years' experience as a consultant, coach, public speaker on servant leadership strategies.
Dr. Kuchinka is a published peer reviewed author and has presented at conferences around the world on numerous subjects. His most recent accomplishments include publishing several journal articles and his book Servant Leadership 2.0.
In his free time, Dr. Kuchinka enjoys spending time with his family and border collie (named BooBoo), loves to hike, cook, hike and do anything outdoors.
Dr. Daniel G. J. Kuchinka
Conference Founder and Chair
Dr. Beatriz DeSantiago-Fjelstad
Conference Chair
I am passionate about researching education, equity, leadership, cultures, languages, global education, students, and families. I have over 30 years of experience teaching, coaching, leading programs, developing ideas, and managing private and public organizations.
I am a tenure track Assistant Professor at Minnesota State University, Mankato. I worked as a teacher, adjunct faculty, and administrator for over thirty years at Saint Paul Public Schools, Minneapolis Public Schools, the University of Saint Thomas, the University of Minnesota, and Metropolitan State University, Mankato. I am a professional presenter; I have presented seminars and workshops in education, cultures, world languages, technology, customer service, diversity, antiracism, and multiculturalism. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Relations degree from the Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, México; a Masters in Business Administration from the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo Leon, México; also hold a Masters in the Arts of Teaching from the University of St. Thomas, St Paul, MN; and an Educational Specialist degree and a Doctoral of Educational Leadership degree from Concordia University in Saint Paul, MN.
I enjoy spending time with my family, friends, and colleagues. I volunteer my time in education, sports, and religious organizations. I served as PTO president at Adams Spanish Immersion School and senior Warden of Santo Niño Jesus church, a Spanish-speaking congregation. I am the president of Lectores sin Fronteras, a non-profit organization that promotes reading habits in small towns near Torreón, Mexico. I have coached soccer to youth groups, and I was awarded Coach of the Year at Highland Groveland Recreation Association.
I love to travel, write, read, dance, exercise, meet people, learn languages and cultures, fiddle with hammers and screwdrivers once in a while, and generally like to have my time occupied.
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