Kyle Simon Supplement: Mentoring and Career Development 2019

In working closely together for nearly three years, we (Rachel Farr and Kyle Simon) have many overlapping interests, motivations, and goals related to research about inequality among racially and socioeconomically diverse LGBTQ individuals and their families. As part of Rachel’s Scholars Program grant, Kyle has recently conducted in-depth interviews with youth (ages 12-25) who have LGBTQ parents, and he aims to extend this work by specifically targeting Asian American LGBTQ families. The Mentoring grant represents an incredible opportunity for us to deepen our professional relationship in three critical ways that would not be possible otherwise: (1) Rachel will develop concrete skills and strategies for effectively mentoring “across difference” in nurturing and advocating for Kyle as a junior researcher of color who intends to eventually launch a successful and autonomous research program, (2) Kyle will cultivate stronger data analysis skills that will also facilitate his completion of an independent research project and solo-authored manuscript, and (3) Kyle will strengthen his network of mentors and colleagues to fortify a foundation for his ongoing professional development. We are committed to having regular and open lines of communication characterized by active listening, and we will proactively seek out additional workshops or trainings to engage in reflective dialogue together – all in the spirit of collectively enhancing our scholarship and mentorship.