What does it mean for educators and student-support professionals to write about the work that shaped them? Moderator La'Tonya "LT" Rease Miles (My Tribe Media and Santa Clara University) is joined by panelists Martha Enciso (My Tribe Media and University of Redlands), Ariela Canizal (University of San Diego), Brenda Bran (California State University, Dominguez Hills), and Jennifer Henriquez (California State University, Dominguez Hills) for a conversation about identity, scholarship, and the power of bringing your full self into professional spaces. Inspired by First Gen & Juice: Exploring First Generation College Student Narratives in Pop Culture and Mass Media (2026), this panel explores how contributors, many of whom are first-generation college graduates themselves, used pop culture, fandom, and lived experience to reflect on their careers, affirm their identities, and reimagine what counts as meaningful professional knowledge. Attendees are also invited to share the stories that shaped their own educational journeys.
