Naomi Raquel Enright
She/Her
"Systemic inequity is injurious to everyone, albeit in different ways. But systemic inequity is injurious to humanity and we all benefit when we see ourselves in each other."
Resilience
I have always been an avid reader and find that reading fiction, in particular, helps me to regain my balance when I begin to falter. I also love to dance and when I feel overwhelmed, dancing helps me to feel grounded and centered. As a sensitive, observant and passionate person, I take everything to heart, which is both a blessing and a curse, but overall I have found that it helps me to live life more fully and to truly connect with others. I tend not to try and tell others how to handle stress since how we deal with overwhelm is so personal. With that said, however, I am a very good listener and more often than not, when we are stressed, what we most need is an empathic, compassionate and non-judgmental ear.
Purpose-Driven
In 2017, I left a full time position to devote more time to my family and to write. In 2019, my book, "Strength of Soul" (2Leaf Press) was published. My book was born out of two of the most transformative experiences of my life - becoming a mother in 2010 and losing my father in 2011. I am brown-skinned and my son is presumed to be white (my father was a white, Jewish-American) so my book is a deeply personal examination of racism, identity, loss and tenacity in the face of adversity. My book continues to make an impact on its readers and I think for those who know me personally, it is inspiring to see how I have turned challenges into triumphs. My son is bilingual, identifies as multiethnic and understands the distinction between how systems function and who people are. They are not synonymous and this understanding is key to creating structural change.
Developmental Leadership
As an educator, I have always been attuned to lifting my students up and to acknowledging the myriad of strengths they possess. Every human being is complex and multifaceted and I think recognizing this in our interactions with each other is crucial to cultivating community and success. At Hunter College, I supervise student teachers in bilingual classrooms and one of my students recently told me that she feels more confident in her abilities as a teacher because of our work together and the ways I have supported her.
Intersectionality
As a multiethnic, bilingual individual who is also the brown-skinned, biological mother of a son presumed to be white, it is rare for me not to feel tension around the different aspects of my lived experience. I always say that I exist in the space between, on the fringe, and that nuance is very easy for me to understand as a result. I think this lived experience has benefitted my work greatly as I am aware that we all carry multiple stories and the more we share those stories, the more opportunities we have to see and understand each other.
Future Facing Legacy
I hope my determination to truly be the change I wish to see and to living my ideals will stand out. My book's title, "Strength of Soul" is intentional and embodies the way I live my life. It was inspired by Adrienne Rich, who once said it takes "strength of soul" to insist on visibility when the world wishes to render you invisible. I make it my duty to make certain that those I work with feel seen, heard, supported, challenged and inspired. At this point in my life, after more than one career and as the mother of a soon to be high schooler, I think I have had lasting impact. As long as there is breath in my lungs, I plan to continue creating positive change.