Building Her Own Way
Samantha Fletcher
Samantha Fletcher is the Director of Inclusivity and Innovation at Eduscape. A graduate of Harvard, she is a multifaceted creator, having a podcast, hosting discussions on Diversity and Inclusion as well as being a Director at Eduscape. Samantha was gracious enough to sit down and speak with us. This is a transcript of our conversation, and you can listen to the entire conversation here.
How do you define success?
Oh wow that's a good one. I think it's different at this stage of my life and I'm older at one point I thought success had to be about I'm. Definitely, you know the kind of the flashy stuff what what what I can amass financially and then what that turns into like can people look at me and tell that I look like, I have some money, which means that I must be successful at this point. Though I'm away from a mother. of two kids and for me success is. me actually accomplishing goals that I'm that I want. You know in field that I am interested in. And you know actually seeing things through to fruition and really ended up feeling good about the final project, the those are the moments when I feel the most successful. And also success for me is. You know, having my kids. And spouse. Be proud. Of the work that I do so, so I guess it's kind of twofold you know, like, I am happy and content with what I've created and my family is proud. Also, now I will, I will just add that if that can happen. um while making a decent salary. And that is all the better. But yeah being able to actually do what you love and get paid for it is probably the epitome of success.
I think everyone wants to do with a lot and like I said I'm sorry your LinkedIn you're doing great stuff I but I had a question what's something you're always done differently than other people in your field when you do that, that makes you stand out.
um I think. Like not like intentionally purposefully. Not doing what everybody else is doing um you know I might be in a similar feel to someone else but I'll find a different way, so an example would be. There are a lot of diversity, being a director of diversity inclusion like that's a super popular position, right now, or diversity equity and inclusion and. that's been my field in terms of being somebody who consults in that area who hosts workshops and facilitation and things like that, but a number of people came to me to say you know Oh, why don't you. You know, apply to be the director of for this company or. hey I have this opportunity, you know, are you interested here, and I know lots of people who are but I. One thing that's different is like I thought you know. Well that's a very respectable position and I do that work and I understand also that it can be very you can get pigeonholed. And people will expect to look at you if that is the only thing that you can do. For me, I'm interested in journalism and I'm interested in technology. I'm interested in writing and curriculum and instructional design and things like that, and so you know I try to find ways to do what I love without that being the only thing that I'm known for um so. Okay, so question.
Oh that's really impressive.
Yeah Okay, so I don't. You know, in terms of being that diversity director, I will knock anybody does it, but I know the burnout and I know the limiting you know. When people look at you in these limiting ways be having a job, like that.
So many things you have to know so much about cultures and, People and if you're doing a school, you have to know about all the different grades, and the parents and the eight you know you have to know so many different things, but you still somehow limited to being seen often as just the race person. And it's like no I know how to do a lot more than just that, but I also do, how are you going to be you and it's one reason that. You mentioned that my title is a director of inclusive and innovation. But I go I argued for that that's you know, one of my roles is working with a company as. The person that leads inclusive the an innovation and I was saying that let the person know that it's that was hiring me that um it's important to not leave that innovation part out like I don't want. To be pigeonholed as one thing, where there's multiple concisely.
Very important so speaking of that. So, if someone wants to get into your field what's one piece of advice you'd give them if they wanted to get into impulsivity and equity and diversity and they don't want to be pigeonholed what's one piece of advice you would give to someone starting out.
hmm we'll think about that for a sec. I'm. um, I would. Tell them this thing that I had to learn to not. make sure that. If you are passionate about that about fairness justice equity diversity, you know and you're sure that that's your passion. be willing to think about other interests that you have. and be willing to not kind of follow the crowd the crowd thinks that you have to just do one thing and I've seen that from hearing things from. Somebody critiquing my resume to say quote you sound like you're it seems like you're all over the place. And I thought, if you look hard enough, you can see I've done lots of different things so there's this one area it's you know it stems from diversity and equity and fairness and justice, like that that matters. But if I'm working in technology I'm going to bring that sense of making sure that I'm being inclusive and justice Center with me so or if I'm working in curriculum design it's also going to be there, so I tell somebody. If you're passionate about that you don't have to let that be the only thing that you do, you can still work in another field, and because you're passionate you will bring that with you so keep in mind that. Because that field can be limiting not by you, but by other people viewing it that way. don't rule out getting a job or working in a different area of interest because you will bring the diversity, inclusion, and equity part with you anyway.
Samantha's Website. https://www.samanthafletcher.com