Scholars of Color- Khatira Assil Tarvirdian
What is Scholars of Color?
It is a platform in which scholars of color are purposefully celebrated. It’s a space where scholars of color are showcased front and center. It is a digital space where we feel empowered and resilient. Let us get to know each other. Let us cheer each other on AND show the world what we have to offer.
Let us now welcome Khatira Assil Tarvirdian to the Scholars of Color space!
Name: Khatira Assil Tarvirdian
Gender Pronouns: She, Her, Hers
What do you currently do for work and/or school?: Assessment & Evaluation Analyst at California State University Channel Islands
Without positions or titles, how would you describe yourself?: An invisible Asian, Afghan to be exact. First-generation and only college graduate in my family. Daughter of Afghan immigrants. First-time Mother to a beautiful and amazing little boy who is ½ Afghan and ½ Iranian-Armenian.
What are you passionate about?: There are so many things that I am passionate about, especially personally, professionally and academically. Currently, I am passionate about looking at data in a disaggregated manner which would provide a separation between all the Asians. This would be beneficial to research since educational attainment is different between multiple Asian ethnicities, especially Afghans. Also, disaggregating Asian data will ensure evidence-based equity provisions for this diverse community at local, state, and federal levels of institutionalism. Women from Afghanistan have experienced immigration, cultural adaptation, and education in an assortment of ways and many aspects of their lives. Their experiences span different generational, religious, and regional points of view. Besides, their status' and professions add multiple layers to their lives as students. Afghan women's unique circumstances make their experiences similar yet different from those of other South Asian immigrants and their daughters. Furthermore, due to significant war-related trauma, immigration processes, and resettlement in the United States, first-generation female Afghan students' educational attainment is much more difficult than that of their peers. Providing that additional support is important to help with success for this population.
Why is the representation of scholars of color important to you?: The representation of scholars of color is so very important to me. This platform allows historically marginalized, especially invisible populations, to feel a sense of belonging. To have a space where scholars of color can safely and openly share their lived experiences, cultures, and histories is absolutely beautiful and empowering. Institutions of education must increase cultural competency about the differences in diverse immigrant populations, and representation of scholars of color will help build, connect, and empower communities. As scholars of color in the U.S. increases, paired with the immeasurable levels of educational attainment for many of these populations- I suggest a need to better understand the educational and transforming experiences of scholars of color in order to provide more effective educational programs for those who are navigating the U.S. educational system.
If people are interested in getting connected to you, how can they?: Social Media IG @RomansMommy2018 Twitter @Assessment_Nerd or LinkedIn
Anything else you would like us to know?: As I write my dissertation, I have found gaps in the literature regarding women of color in higher education, specifically Afghan American women. So, I am proposing a new framework, grounded in CRT and Afghans' experiences and voices, called Afghan Critical Race Theory (AfghanCrit), which can begin filling this gap.
Thank you Khatira for sharing space with us!
Stay tuned everyone for more Scholars of Color profiles. Interested in being showcased yourself? Please email the Scholars of Color team at scholarsofcolor@reclaimingyourhappiness.com and we will get back to you shortly.
