The Outsiders Inability to Access Higher Education Networks
I was not afforded the luxury of having family or a mentor who understood how to navigate first world higher education. At school, we were given university application forms, applied, and hoped for the best. University was structured in a way that gave you the resources and standard information to succeed academically, but there was no mentorship or guidance to help navigate the institution to succeed in post-graduate endeavors, whether it be academically or navigating careers. There is now more structured guidance to help those who are new to the system and its processes, but there continues to be an advantage for those fortunate enough to have connections and pre-existing access. Nirosha Balakumar breaks down the experience in a way that those who may not experience these barriers can understand. She begins her talk at the 3.09 time mark after a tribute to her ancestors, but I urge everyone watch this talk. It humanizes the experience that some of us felt; " you always stand