1. There is a good chance that you were not trained up from birth to be who you are today!
What I mean by this is that many minority families do not gear their kids up for grad school and/or academia. Our parents usually don't even have bachelor's degrees for God's sake! So, when you get to grad school and none of it makes sense; when you get there and everyone seems like a genius but you; when you arrive and realize that your reading and writing skills aren't what they should be, DO NOT run away (first things first!). But also, DO NOT blame faculty and/or other students for your performance.
This woman (who is amazing by the way, don't get me wrong, not one bit!) was told that her writing skills were very poor and that she should settle for a lesser degree. Tsk tsk, Prof! That's pretty harsh! But I've read some of her stuff and, to be frank, she does need some work. But she shouldn't have left the department, and she definitely should not have blamed the faculty. Now, after so many years of work, she's left without a committee and without a means of finishing up!
I, myself, am currently playing hot potato with my diss(ertation) proposal, and was recently told to take it to the writing center...... to the writing center!?! Lol. This is something I wouldn't have minded hearing as an undergrad, but sheesh! What a blow to the ol' ego. But, I'm not going to hold that against that committee member. I know that I was raised in a home that didn't promote education. I know I need a little extra work. And I'm okay with that. Bring it on, bitches! I'm going to finish this dissertation and be an amazing researcher in my field, and I'm thankful to my committee for taking the time to make sure that people of color are making it to the top, despite the fact that (some of us) have the odds stacked against us.
2. You only have so much time. Don't fart around.
This person seems to have been in her department for about 9 years. That's a long time, even for a grad student. To get away from race just for a minute, there was a guy in my office when I first started grad school (grad students usually have to share an office), and he was on his 8th year. Needless to say, he was only able to stick around for a year after that. So, with that being said, what happened to my good friend, seems legit... sorta. 9 years is too long, even if everything else that her advisers said was untrue.
Yes, you have funding. Yes, you have put in a lot of time and effort. Yes, you do still deserve a PhD! But you have to get 'er done! The guy in my office, as upset as he was, got a job teaching (at the college level), and still managed to finish his dissertation, with the continued support of his committee. That's dedication in the face of adversity. If you don't make it, that reflects poorly on the faculty. Believe me. They want to you succeed. Black PhDs are like unicorns, and they sit around dreaming of patting themselves on the back after having helped to make one. Hehe...
So don't give up, and don't slack off. You may need some extra time because you and the culture that you've blossomed from is different from what the university is used to teaching. Kick it into overdrive, learn the things that you should've known when you got there (in your spare time), and don't be afraid to bug your advisers. They can get so wrapped up in their own research and whatnot, that you'll fall between the cracks before you know it. Trust me. This comes from a guy who, after being unsuccessful at his first candidacy exam, had his adviser come up and say, "I have not been there for you the way I should have, and I apologize for that." (And he worked with me on a weekly basis after that, because he's friggin awesome!)
3. Don't be defensive or intimidated
Look, chances are, you're going to be the only Black/Latino in the room. That includes the classroom (as a student and as a teacher), the meeting room (with your adviser), and the conference room (when you travel here and there to present your research). There just aren't a lot of Black PhD students. Things are slowly changing, but we just aren't quite there yet. So, when you look feel like the black sheep, stay calm and kick some ass. You're going to feel alone. Your jokes won't be funny to some people. Conversation with you may be awkward, and you may not be very sociable either. This is natural because you represent something new in their world. Be cool about it, and don't give up.
My friend is feeling insecure and depressed about her situation. Perhaps her advisers were a bit harsh. But she could have left on better terms and still have a committee to watch over her dissertation. Now she just has past due loans and no PhD to show for it.
4. Conclusion
If you're a minority, there's a good chance that you'll struggle just a tad more than the others. There's a chance that you'll be in grad school for an extra year or so. And there's a chance that you'll feel left out and alone in the process. Hell, you may even have some professors treat you poorly. But don't give up. You owe it to yourself to go the distance. Get the extra help needed to enable you to keep up with the others. Work those extra hours so you don't fall too far behind. And if there's anyone in your department making you feel unwelcome, or not worth helping, ignore them and request a different adviser/committee member. You can do it!
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