The power of sisterhood: graduate students’ dialogic exploration at the margins of a Midwest university

In this duoethnography we, a Latina and Filipina, write letters to each other reflecting on a video discussing our graduate student lives and shared journal entries during COVID-19. After revisiting the reflections, we share what makes the marginal space of a Midwest university unique and transformative. By analyzing our experiences, as Women of Color graduate students in a predominately white institution, common themes of spirit injury and healing emerged. We learned to make space for authentic relationships. We shared examples of our teaching experiences as Brown women in white spaces. We integrated voices and wisdom of Women of Color Scholars when talking to one another. We shared cautionary tales and stories of resilience to combat the taxing space of higher education on our Brown bodies. Consistent with this dialogic method, our writing and formatting choices invite the reader to be the third partner in our conversation.