Identity Intersectionalities, Mentoring, and Work-Life (Im)Balance

Identity matters. Who we are in terms of our intersecting identities such as gender, race, social class, (dis)ability, geography, and religion are integral to who we are and how we navigate work and life. Unfortunately, many people have yet to grasp this understanding and, as a result, so many of our work spaces lack appropriate responses to what this means. Therefore, Identity Intersectionalities, Mentoring, and Worklife (Im)balance: Educators (Re)negotiate the Personal, Professional, and Political, the most recent installment of the worklife balance series, uses an intersectional perspective to critically examine the concept of worklife balance.In an effort to build on the first book in the series, that focused on professors in educational leadership preparation programs, the authors here represent educators across the P20 pipeline (primary and secondary schools in addition to higher education). This book is also unique in that it includes the voices of practitioners, students, and academics from a variety of related disciplines within the education profession, enabling the editors to include a diverse group of educators whose many voices speak to worklife balance in unique and very personal ways.Contributing authors challenge whether the concept of worklife balance might be conceived as a privileged -and even an impracticalendeavor. Yet, the bottom line is, conceptions of worklife balance are exceptionally complex and vary widely depending on one's many roles and intersecting identities. Moreover, this book considers how mentoring is important to negotiating the politics that come with balancing work and life; especially, if those intersecting identities are frequently associated with unsolicited stereotypes that impede upon one's academic, professional and personal pursuits in life.Finally, the editors argue that the power to authentically &quote;be ourselves&quote; is not only important to individual success, but also beneficial to fostering an institutional culture and climate that is truly supportive of and responsive to diversity, equity, and justice. Taken together, the voices in this book are a clarion call for P12 and higher education professionals and organizations to envision how identity intersectionalities might become an everyday understanding, a normalized appreciation, and a customary commitment that translates into policy and practice.