On Friday, October 10, 2025, DKU faculty, staff, and students gathered for the second reading group session focused on “Embracing Diversity: Developing Cultural Competence for Inclusive Education.” This time, our discussion focused on Xia’s (2024) article: “Intersectionality and Discrimination: Challenges Faced by LGBTQ+ Asian International Students in the U.S. Education System”. This text discusses the discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ Asian international students in the U.S. education system, emphasizing the role of intersectionality—where racial, cultural, and gender identities combine to exacerbate their challenges—such as lack of family support due to homophobic cultural norms in their home countries and ongoing systemic racism in the U.S. It highlights that these students encounter more severe mental health struggles and academic obstacles compared to white LGBTQ+ students or native U.S. citizens, and calls for educators, media, and the public to provide greater attention and support to address these issues.
Our discussion did not stay at the surface level of the shared article. Instead, we began with an icebreaker activity in which we invited attendees to discuss and share their thoughts on “identity”. We prepared specific questions, such as (1) “How do you define ‘identity,’ and what factors do you think contribute to forming someone’s identity? (2) When you meet someone new, what aspects of their identity do you think influence your first impression of them? And (3) In what ways do you think a person’s multiple identities (like race, gender, sexual orientation) can intersect to create unique experiences? These questions prompted lively exchanges: some attendees shared experiences of navigating multiple identities and the tensions they faced, while others reflected on how international and domestic students from DKU could experience stereotypes about gender or nationality shaping interpersonal interactions. The discussions naturally converged on the core concept of “intersectional identity” from Xia’s (2024) article, deepening everyone’s grasp of how multiple identities compound marginalization. Finally, we wrapped up the session by collectively agreeing on the urgency of action— educators must design more inclusive classrooms and remain attentive to the multiple identities students embody as they navigate daily life on and off campus.
Our reading group not only facilitated in-depth engagement with academic research but also built a space for cross-role (faculty, staff, students) dialogue about diversity and inclusion. Moving forward, the organizing team plans to continue exploring topics related to inclusive education, with future sessions focusing on practical strategies for fostering culturally competent classrooms and supporting marginalized student populations.
The event was organized by Zhenjie Weng, Assistant Professor of English Language Education, and Yanan Zhao, Senior Lecturer of English for Academic Purposes, from the Language and Culture Center. The event was sponsored by the Humanities Research Center, covering the fees for event promotion and refreshments for attendees.
