On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared a global pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-virus, commonly known as COVID-19. California was the first state in the country to declare a state of emergency and issue a stay-at-home order. New Mexico, where I reside, issued a lockdown order on March 24. All college … Continue reading Managing the college classroom in 2026 – by Julia Wai-Yin So
Cross-dressing has a Different Meaning at a Different Place in a Different Time In recent years, with more and more social acceptance of multiple variations of gender identity, cross-dressing has become an empowering tool for transgendered individuals who are out, proud, and loud to assert their gender identity. Notwithstanding, we have to be cognizant of … Continue reading Survival Matters: Cross-dressing – by Julia Wai-Yin So
I live in New Mexico—a liberal state where people respect each other’s gender identity. It is also a state where everyone, including the members of TNG (transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse) community enjoy the privilege of publicly sharing their preferred gender pronoun or personal gender pronoun (PGP). At any given professional meetings, it is a common … Continue reading Misgendering: Is It a Big Deal? – by Julia Wai-Yin So
My 1,2,3 ANALYSIS ) 1 or 2 issues that are personally most vital to me in 2025. For decades at the end of the Fall semester, faculty, staff, and students from colleges and universities in the nation leave the campus to enjoy the winter holiday. This year, many of them left with a sense of … Continue reading TRENDS 2025: Inclusive Excellence – by Julia Wai-Yin So
The Supreme Court’s decision on the two college admission cases in June 2023 has left the 3,400+ colleges and universities in the country (both private and public institutions of higher education) rushing to review and revise their admission practices. By declaring the admission policies of Harvard University and the University of South Carolina had violated … Continue reading The Effects of SCOTUS Decision on One University – by Dr. Julia Wai-Yin So
Having worked in the US for the last 40 some years, I was once a target of character assassination (CA). That experience prompted me to write this article to raise awareness that being a member of a minoritized group can put us at an additional risk of being targeted. This article explores the association between … Continue reading Stereotype and Character Assassination – by Julia Wai-Yin So
You were at a house-warming party hosted by your immigrant friends from Mexico who just bought their first home. Your excitement was genuine. As you hugged your friend and his wife, you said, “I am so happy for you and your new home, especially in this neighborhood. Unlike other Latino immigrants, you are so accomplished.” … Continue reading Microaggression and Stereotype – by Julia Wai-Yin So
In the 1960s, sociologist Harold Garfinkel founded a new field of inquiry called ethnomethodology. As such, Garfinkel uses the term indexing to describe how we depend on whatever information and experience we have to make sense of every social context. We call this social cues. For example, when a man in the US meets a … Continue reading Let’s Deconstruct the Stereotype – Dr. Julia Wai-Yin So
Do you recall the first time you stepped into an international business reception at a major hotel and found yourself amidst a sea of Asian faces? If so, you may also have noticed a diversity of Asian cultures and conversations in some incomprehensible languages: Cantonese Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Malay, Mandarin Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, and perhaps others. If … Continue reading Understanding Asian American Communication — by Dr. Julia Wai-Yin So
The first day of the year in the lunar calendar is to many Chinese, Koreans, and Vietnamese who live outside their home countries, the most important festival of the new year that they celebrate. Other Asian ethnic groups may join the festivity in their neighborhoods even though they observe their owe New Year days. For … Continue reading Asians Celebrate the New Year – by Dr. Julia Wai-Yin So
