Theories

Critical Race Theory

"Proponents of CRT are also committed to social justice, locating the voice of the marginalized, and employing the concept of intersectionality" (Ortiz & Jani, 2010, p. 176).

CRT matters to me because it refuses to minimize lived experience. It insists that the voices of those who have been ignored, harmed, or erased must be centered and used as a source of knowledge and truth. This aligns with the kind of leader and advocate I strive to be - someone who listens, amplifies, questions dominant narratives, and works to create spaces where people feel seen and valued.

It also mirrors my belief that advocacy does not necessarily need to be loud. It recognizes that oppression can happen in everyday interaction and reminds me to reflect on the questions I ask, the relationships I build, and the stories I highlight.

CRT is fundamental in acknowledging my positionality and privilege, and providing guidance for keeping myself accountable.

Afrocentric Theory

"a complementary, holistic perspective that emerged as a response to traditional theoretical approaches that failed to consider the worldviews of historically oppressed populations" (Whitehead, 2018).

Afrocentric theory matters to me because it emphasizes centering supports and service plans around the lived experiences and voices of Black service users; by believing them, validating them, and promoting self-determination throughout their journeys.

This framework reinforces the importance of ongoing unlearning. It calls me to practice humility, seek truth and guidance from Black service users and colleagues, and embrace the discomfort that surfaces when unlearning feels too heavy.

This theory has also ignited a passion within me to ask organizational leadership difficult questions - to challenge the ways my program dismisses the spiritual dimension of the bio-psycho-social model, and to highlight that identifying as culturally diverse is meaningless without genuine representation and active engagement.