I come from the northern-central plains of India, where berries are considered an exotic fruit. So when I landed in Canada a few years back, I was super excited to see scrumptious looking berries hanging from thick thorny shrubs by the roadside and the walking trails. Every year around July and August, the streets of Vancouver burst with the sweet smell of blackberries. I cherished the experience of plucking and eating these beautiful berries, a gift from Mother Nature. The berry shrub shares its fruits in abundance with both her human and non-human relatives; hence, I was a little surprised to learn that blackberry is considered an invasive species. 

A short poem inspired by the Canadian badlands formed millions of years ago.

A few days ago, I met a senior executive from a multinational company—a highly experienced professional in her 50s. There are only two foreign employees in her office. Yet, in a workplace with a majority of Korean staff, in the heart of Korea, the primary language of official communication is English to accommodate these two individuals. While many international companies today emphasize values like equality, diversity, and inclusion, situations like this raise questions: Does this truly reflect inclusivity or diversity?

This autoethnography explores the politics of place, the impact of colonization on my linguistic identity as a racialized English language teacher, and the intersection of race and racism in the professional sphere for non-native English teachers (NNES). I analyze my lived experiences through theoretical lenses that inform research on race, teacher identity, teacher education, and English language teaching. I conclude by sharing my reflections/views on how marginalized teachers can resist hegemony in the professional sphere and reappropriate their racial and professional identities.