Motherhood & Professional Achievement

My daughter “reading” my essay from APA 101.

Lately I've been reflecting on professional agency, motherhood, and what it means to celebrate our contributions in a shifting political climate. As a new mother, there are days when accomplishments feel distant, and perhaps slower and smaller than before.

A recent moment of hilarity brought this reflection to life. My husband was reading my essays from “APA 101: Smithsonian Asian Pacific American History, Art, and Culture in 101 Objects" to our baby girl, and it hit me. What struck me wasn't just the pride of contributing to this vibrant collection, but how differently I view achievement now.

Being part of this book represents more than the words on its pages – it's a reminder that our professional voices and roles evolve rather than diminish through life's transitions. Sometimes we need to look back to remind ourselves of our capacity to contribute meaningfully, even as our rhythms change. AAPI Heritage Month may be wiped from many calendars. Funding for engaged arts and humanities projects for communities of color may dwindle. And I often struggle to convey the value of cultural narratives within my institution. Yet I’m still here. We’re still here.

I’m not doing as much publicly accessible curation or writing, and being a mother has impacted how much time I have to engage with community, but I’m making the learning experiences of Georgetown students better every day, showing up when I can, and writing for myself. Most importantly, I'm learning that caring for my daughter and being present with her is its own form of creative practice – one that may shape my future work in ways I'm just beginning to understand.

To my fellow BIPOC mothers, educators, and creatives navigating career and family: our stories continue to matter, even when they unfold in different ways in challenging times.

I crossposted this from LinkedIn, so feel free to engage with me there!