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International Journal of the Linguistic Association of the Southwest

Abstract

As linguists, we play many roles in and out of the classroom. In our classes, we strive to educate students about the nuances of linguistic systems, encourage them to expand upon their innate knowledge of language and inspire them to use this knowledge to enhance their lives, their careers, and their communities. However, as Bucholtz et al. (2014) remind us, “scholars should not simply speak out as expert advocates on behalf of marginalized groups, as important as this responsibility is, but they must also help empower their research participants to take action themselves (Cameron et al. 1992, 1993)” suggesting that we need to continually push beyond our academic boundaries and engage students and our communities to advance the cause of sociolinguistic justice.

Centering particularly on school as a site where ideologies toward languages collide, I will present key events that have inspired my efforts to advocate for students and communities our institution serves. Moreover, recognizing that linguists face many challenges in our institutions and society at large where the value of what we contribute continues to be underestimated, I will propose actions we can undertake to seek avenues for sustaining our programs and expanding our influence.

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