Ford Fellowship and White?

[freeuser]

I'd like to apply to the Ford Fellowship.. I am studying inequality/stratification both in research aims and the classes I TA for. I am also a white guy. Still apply, or waste of time?

[NoirFemme]

The fellowship specifically says this in the eligibility section:

Membership in one or more of the following groups whose underrepresentation in the American professoriate has been severe and longstanding:

• Alaska Natives (Aleut, Eskimo or other Indigenous People of Alaska)

• Black/African Americans

• Mexican Americans/Chicanas/Chicanos

• Native American Indians

• Native Pacific Islanders (Hawaiian/Polynesian/Micronesian)

• Puerto Ricans

 

[Horb]

On 10/30/2016 at 6:29 PM, NoirFemme said:

The fellowship specifically says this in the eligibility section:

Membership in one or more of the following groups whose underrepresentation in the American professoriate has been severe and longstanding:

• Alaska Natives (Aleut, Eskimo or other Indigenous People of Alaska)

• Black/African Americans

• Mexican Americans/Chicanas/Chicanos

• Native American Indians

• Native Pacific Islanders (Hawaiian/Polynesian/Micronesian)

• Puerto Ricans

 

I have to say, it baffles me they don't expand this to include LGBTQ people if it is truly a diversity fellowship.

[NoirFemme]

5 hours ago, Horb said:

I have to say, it baffles me they don't expand this to include LGBTQ people if it is truly a diversity fellowship.

I know you probably didn't mean for this to sound this way, but the statement presumes that the POC and indigenous peoples applying for the Ford aren't also queer.

Edited November 3, 2016 by NoirFemme

[Horb]

9 hours ago, NoirFemme said:

I know you probably didn't mean for this to sound this way, but the statement presumes that the POC and indigenous peoples applying for the Ford aren't also queer.

That is absolutely not what my statement implied at all. I responded to the definition, which itself limits "diversity" to race, as if there are no other factors that could count as diverse. It makes it seem that if someone is a POC, the only way they are "diverse" is by their skin tone and the related experiences they've had as a result of that. I never once said POC and the LGBTQ community were separate entities of diversity. 

[kbui]

I agree with @Horb in that LGBTQ can be a form of diversity. However, it gets a bit difficult to compare a passing white gay male with Native American Indians in terms of lived experiences and the historical injustices that generations have had to endure. I understand that both types of people are discriminated against, but even within LGBTQ, there are vastly different resources needed for G-s versus other gender identities. Something that we can all agree on is that race and ethnicities determine the range of opportunities that we are given in life, and fellowships that focus on non-majority races/ethnicities are going towards the right direction.

[Horb]

7 hours ago, kbui said:

I agree with @Horb in that LGBTQ can be a form of diversity. However, it gets a bit difficult to compare a passing white gay male with Native American Indians in terms of lived experiences and the historical injustices that generations have had to endure. I understand that both types of people are discriminated against, but even within LGBTQ, there are vastly different resources needed for G-s versus other gender identities. Something that we can all agree on is that race and ethnicities determine the range of opportunities that we are given in life, and fellowships that focus on non-majority races/ethnicities are going towards the right direction.

My main critique is with the name of fellowship, not its mission. I completely agree that POC are at a distinct disadvantage based upon society's perceptions of them. Not debating that at all. But I feel like using "diversity" elides other kinds of diversity. And if there were a concern about "passing," you could easily include an essay that deals with this. However, I'd also argue that just because someone passes does not mean that they are not still experiencing discrimination. Living in fear that you'll be outed is very much a thing. Plus, the idea of "passing" becomes problematic in other ways too.

Edited November 4, 2016 by Horb

[Horb]

On 11/2/2016 at 9:47 PM, NoirFemme said:

I know you probably didn't mean for this to sound this way, but the statement presumes that the POC and indigenous peoples applying for the Ford aren't also queer.

I'll also add: queer is only a part of LGBTQ. Not everyone who is gay or trans or bi etc. identifies as queer.

[waiting279]

If you read the instructions in their entirety, you'll find this (emphasis original):

Personal Statement (maximum two pages, 12-point font, double-spaced) describing the applicant’s background and experience and commitment to the goals of the Ford Foundation Fellowship Programs by addressing all of the following that apply:

• the applicant’s capacity to respond in pedagogically productive ways to the learning needs of students from diverse backgrounds
• the applicant’s sustained personal engagement with communities that are underrepresented in the academy and ability to bring this asset to learning, teaching, and scholarship at the college or university level
• the applicant’s likelihood of using the diversity of human experience as an educational resource in teaching and scholarship, and
• the applicant's membership in one or more of the following groups whose underrepresentation in the American professoriate has been severe and longstanding:
  • Alaska Natives (Aleut, Eskimo, or other Indigenous People of Alaska)
  • Black/African Americans
  • Mexican Americans/Chicanas/Chicanos
  • Native American Indians
  • Native Pacific Islanders (Hawaiian/Polynesian/Micronesian)
  • Puerto Ricans 

Note how it says all of the following that apply, which leaves open the possibility that it might be the case that not all of them apply. Furthermore, the first three main bullet points are in bold font, while the fourth one (membership in groups) is not, as if it is somewhat more optional than the others.

Further down, it also states the following: 

Applicants should note anything in their background that speaks to their unique perspective:

Membership of a group designated by the Ford Foundation Fellowship Programs as currently underrepresented in the American professoriate Membership of another underserved group
First person or generation in family to achieve college degree or seek advanced degree 

If you can make a case for your experience of LGBT as an underserved group, and your research/teaching interests dealing with issues of inequality, why not apply?

[Horb]

8 hours ago, waiting279 said:

If you read the instructions in their entirety, you'll find this (emphasis original):

Personal Statement (maximum two pages, 12-point font, double-spaced) describing the applicant’s background and experience and commitment to the goals of the Ford Foundation Fellowship Programs by addressing all of the following that apply:

• the applicant’s capacity to respond in pedagogically productive ways to the learning needs of students from diverse backgrounds
• the applicant’s sustained personal engagement with communities that are underrepresented in the academy and ability to bring this asset to learning, teaching, and scholarship at the college or university level
• the applicant’s likelihood of using the diversity of human experience as an educational resource in teaching and scholarship, and
• the applicant's membership in one or more of the following groups whose underrepresentation in the American professoriate has been severe and longstanding:
  • Alaska Natives (Aleut, Eskimo, or other Indigenous People of Alaska)
  • Black/African Americans
  • Mexican Americans/Chicanas/Chicanos
  • Native American Indians
  • Native Pacific Islanders (Hawaiian/Polynesian/Micronesian)
  • Puerto Ricans 

Note how it says all of the following that apply, which leaves open the possibility that it might be the case that not all of them apply. Furthermore, the first three main bullet points are in bold font, while the fourth one (membership in groups) is not, as if it is somewhat more optional than the others.

Further down, it also states the following: 

Applicants should note anything in their background that speaks to their unique perspective:

Membership of a group designated by the Ford Foundation Fellowship Programs as currently underrepresented in the American professoriate Membership of another underserved group
First person or generation in family to achieve college degree or seek advanced degree 

If you can make a case for your experience of LGBT as an underserved group, and your research/teaching interests dealing with issues of inequality, why not apply?

Idk, it really depends on how you read their mission statement and the application instructions and where you place the emphasis.  I'm first generation and pursuing a PhD, but I'm also a white woman, so I highly doubt I'm what they are looking for, even though I teach about violence and discrimination in mid-level courses. 

[freeuser]

Is it that the applicant need be a member of one of these groups OR that the research/teaching expected of them will further diversity? 

[NoirFemme]

On 11/4/2016 at 5:44 AM, Horb said:

I'll also add: queer is only a part of LGBTQ. Not everyone who is gay or trans or bi etc. identifies as queer.

A point of which I'm well aware. However, being that this thread has devolved into a question of how the Ford Fellowship defines "diversity" and not on how various members of the LGBTQAI+ community choose to identify, I don't really know what kind of response you were hoping to elicit from me.

Back to the topic at hand: I believe that dwelling on who is and who isn't supposedly considered "diverse" is a super privileged perspective. I'm a black student attending a Hispanic Serving Institution, where a large majority of scholarships and awards are targeted primarily at the Chicanx student body. I don't argue for my inclusion because:

a. it's a HSI for a reason (70% Chicanx student body)

b. there are plenty of longtime existing monies earmarked for black students on a national level

Nitpicking at the definition of "diversity" seems, quite frankly, rather myopic when the point of minority/marginalized-based awards exist to combat privilege. Heck, there have been awards for women that had eligibility requirements reflecting the racial stratification of America (e.g. Junior League or D.A.R. scholarships).

The numbers of POC and indigenous peoples who ascend to post-secondary education decrease the higher you go after a bachelor’s degree; the Ford Fellowship exists to encourage us to continue on in order to increase the diversity at the faculty level (because about 60% of the tenured faculty at my HSI are white! And the adjuncts haven't been diverse either). So if you teach courses on discrimination, I am sure you've come across a lot of literature about the impact of representation on achievement.

Edited November 7, 2016 by NoirFemme

[Horb]

10 hours ago, NoirFemme said:

A point of which I'm well aware. However, being that this thread has devolved into a question of how the Ford Fellowship defines "diversity" and not on how various members of the LGBTQAI+ community choose to identify, I don't really know what kind of response you were hoping to elicit from me.

Back to the topic at hand: I believe that dwelling on who is and who isn't supposedly considered "diverse" is a super privileged perspective. I'm a black student attending a Hispanic Serving Institution, where a large majority of scholarships and awards are targeted primarily at the Chicanx student body. I don't argue for my inclusion because:

a. it's a HSI for a reason (70% Chicanx student body)

b. there are plenty of longtime existing monies earmarked for black students on a national level

Nitpicking at the definition of "diversity" seems, quite frankly, rather myopic when the point of minority/marginalized-based awards exist to combat privilege. Heck, there have been awards for women that had eligibility requirements reflecting the racial stratification of America (e.g. Junior League or D.A.R. scholarships).

The numbers of POC and indigenous peoples who ascend to post-secondary education decrease the higher you go after a bachelor’s degree; the Ford Fellowship exists to encourage us to continue on in order to increase the diversity at the faculty level (because about 60% of the tenured faculty at my HSI are white! And the adjuncts haven't been diverse either). So if you teach courses on discrimination, I am sure you've come across a lot of literature about the impact of representation on achievement.

I suppose I was just confused by your point. You had stated earlier that I implied POC couldn't be part of the LGBTQ community. When reading your comment, I thought you were making a similarly problematic implication, and so like you, I pointed it out.  

You are right that this has spiraled away from the original question. I apologize for bringing up a question or concern over the understanding of diversity, especially as I have since reached out to the organization via phone and received further information on their criteria. This award is not limited to POC. I was simply confused based upon the limited details of the application given in the first few posts. I should have looked up the full scholarship website to see a full list of eligibility and criteria questions. I would also like to note that I agree with the need for diversity. I happen to be in a department that has many POC, but I know most departments do not. So of course, we would need scholarships and opportunities to promote and provide higher education and advancement. I do not disagree with that. My challenge was one of wording, which proved to be incorrect to begin with. Thus, I apologize for derailing the conversation. 

Edited November 7, 2016 by Horb
Further explanation.

[Horb]

17 hours ago, freeuser said:

Is it that the applicant need be a member of one of these groups OR that the research/teaching expected of them will further diversity? 

I reached out to them. Essentially the criteria listed is in "and/or" form. That is: you could be from this group and research/teach about this topic OR you could just research/teach about this topic. That said, it is clear you have to be a diverse individual yourself, otherwise idk how you'd answer the essay prompts.