This open educational resource draws on the voices of women in academia from Canada, India, and Nigeria, spanning the disciplines of agriculture, education, and engineering. This collaborative approach to writing brought together multiple worldviews and challenged us to critically examine our own assumptions, biases, and preferences for moral conduct. We encourage educational leaders to adopt Foucault’s practice of “living one’s own life as a work of art” and viewing the self as a continuous project. We hope you will join us on this journey of “coming to know.”

— Alana, Olubukola, and Rumana

Alana Hoare

Alana is an assistant teaching professor in the School of Education at Thompson Rivers University whose academic interests focus on the role of cultures and epistemologies and their influence on educational systems. She has an Doctor of Education in educational leadership from Western University, where she explored culturally responsive governance and planning in higher education. Alana’s works focus on critical approaches to open education and agency, gender, and power in leadership and sport, spanning practice and policy. Previously, Alana taught elementary school and adult English language learners. She also spent nearly a decade as a quality assurance practitioner and maintains a research program in this field. You can find Alana at ahoare@tru.ca

Olubukola Bosede Osuntade

Olubukola is a graduate student in the School of Education at Thompson Rivers University. She holds a PhD in agricultural extension and rural development from the Federal University of Agricultures in Nigeria. She is a teacher, researcher, and consultant, having taught both undergraduate and graduate students in Nigeria, with a focus on rural sociology, agricultural extension, diffusions, and innovations. She has participated in project planning, management, and reporting in agriculture and developmental studies in Sub-Saharan Africa. Her passion for teaching brought her to Canada to pursue a Master of Education degree, with a focus on policy studies and educational leadership. Olubukola’s research interests also include climate smart agriculture and the intersection of gender, race, and student status (i.e., domestic, international) on access to education and leadership opportunities. You can reach Olubukola at osuntadeo22@mytru.ca

Rumana Patel

Patel is an engineer, educator, and feminist scholar from Gujarat, India. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in industrial engineering. With nearly seven years of experience as an assistant professor in the Mechanical Engineering department at a private engineering college in India, Rumana also served as a training and placement officer and head of the Entrepreneurship cell. Her deep passion for education led her to become an astronomy educator for elementary and high school students, where she was confronted with the stark educational inequalities faced by students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. This experience fuelled her commitment to advocating for accessible and equitable education for all students, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Currently, Rumana is pursuing a Master of Education degree at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) in Canada. Her personal philosophy, shaped by her upbringing in a small village within a close-knit community, emphasizes the importance of communal spirit, responsibility, and contributing to society. She remains steadfast in her mission to ensure that every learner has the opportunity to receive a quality education.