This week, we're joined by Dr. Monica Nangia, a seasoned higher education leader with more than 20 years of experience. Dr. Monica is celebrated for her sharp insight, commitment to equity, and a powerful, student-centred leadership approach. She’s also leading an initiative capturing the stories of women of colour in higher education—spotlighting both their achievements and the barriers they've had to overcome.

What we cover in this episode:

• Dr. Monica’s personal journey into higher education leadership, inspired by both her own family and early role models.
• The reality of inclusive leadership: what it looks like day-to-day, why it’s more than just a declaration, and how it shows up in small, impactful moments.
• Why vulnerability and humility are crucial to leadership, and Dr. Monica’s own path to bringing her whole self to work.
• Recurring challenges faced by women of colour in higher education: the exhausting “prove it again” bias, cultural taxation (the unpaid labour of diversity work), lack of visible role models, and the struggle between hypervisibility and invisibility.
• The emotional impact: “racial battle fatigue”—the toll of constant microaggressions, pressure to represent entire communities, and the ways women cope and build resilience.
• Why allyship matters: practical advice for allies who want to open up conversations and support colleagues, even when it feels awkward or uncertain.
• The power of storytelling: how sharing lived experiences can drive genuine, cultural change within institutions and beyond.

If you’re still showing up in spaces that weren’t built for you: we see you, and we hope you find strength and solidarity here.

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and share. Got thoughts or stories to share? Reach out—we’d love to hear from you!

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