Lifted by women: from working class to leadership

I’m a leader. I never thought I would say this aloud with confidence or without shame. I always thought people would think I was deluding myself, or having ‘notions’, as we say in Irish English. Who did I think I was to see myself as a leader? Let me contextualize: 

I was raised in a ‘barrio’ on the wrong side of the tracks in an urban area in the Spanish midlands. Illegal drug users used to jump into our 80s schoolyard. The teachers had to clean up, sometimes with the help of older pupils. I was the first one to finish a degree in my immediate family, and the only one to get a PhD. in my extended family of nearly 70 cousins. Academia was a foreign land for us, just as much as living through English was for me years later. 

The power of collective support

But don’t be fooled into thinking this is an account of a self-made academic. Quite the opposite - this is a testimony to a collective of female family members, mentors and societal reforms that enabled me to be where I am today. I accessed higher education thanks to government grants in 1990s Spain and because my sisters and mother pushed me - sometimes with tough love - towards it. I became an outstanding student because several, mostly female, lecturers and mentors noticed my thirst to learn and supported my progress. 

And here is the thing: some cultures are less nurturing for women than others. The statistics of violence against women in Spain support this argument. These contextual brushstrokes may help explain why it has been so difficult for me to call myself a leader, and why I continue negotiating this space in spite of many achievements and leadership roles in my 20+ year career in academic spaces. 

I think it is also fitting to acknowledge that there is also family trauma around leadership. My maternal grandmother was targeted by the Spanish national army in 1936 for organizing women’s gatherings. She avoided execution thanks to the intervention of another woman connected to an army official, who used my grandmother’s pregnancy and skill as a seamstress to defend her case. She was granted amnesty but suffered punishment: her hair was shaved and she was socially isolated. The grandmother I got to know briefly in the 1980s was a submissive, docile woman, very different from the leader she had once been. This herstory likely shaped my mother’s fears around leadership, which were passed down to my generation. 

Reclaiming leadership through reflection and growth

When I applied for Aurora, I did not see myself as a leader, despite being a quiet reference, mentor and support for friends and colleagues and a pioneer in teaching and learning initiatives. Encouraged by colleagues to take on leadership roles in my institution, I joined the programme. Aurora has both challenged and inspired me. I have had to rethink leadership, develop new skills, and understand the power of collective leadership. I have questioned my identity, identifying both strengths and areas for growth.  

I am incredibly grateful to the colleagues who have shared this journey, especially the women in my Action Learning Set. The support, trust and generosity within that heterogeneous, intergenerational group has been invaluable and has been very beneficial for developing my confidence as a leader in higher education. These beautiful women have been the gentlest of mirrors highlighting the spots that needed work and the areas that shone already without any need for polishing.  

The programme has taught me different skillsets to harness collective wisdom, adaptive leadership and enhance collegiality. Beyond the formal sessions, the networking has been phenomenal. The relationships built and encouragement from women across institutions have been among Aurora’s most lasting gifts. I am now more confident, more strategic and more committed than ever to supporting women in leadership. I have applied for leadership roles I would previously have avoided. 

Stepping forward: claiming space and lifting others

Journeys like this do not happen in a vacuum, and it would be unfair to omit the grounding support of Kate Quinn and Patrick Crowley at the University of Galway. I had to answer the question: what would it take to see yourself as a leader? Now it is your turn to take a moment to reflect on your own journey - the people who have supported you, the barriers you’ve overcome, and the quiet ways you may already be leading. Then, take one step forward and claim that space. 

If you’ve ever questioned whether you belong in leadership, let this be your beacon: you do. Own your story, honour those who lifted you, and step into the leadership roles you may have been holding back from. The space is yours to take. Think about the women and allies who have shaped your path. Reach out, support one another and continue building the kind of collective leadership that makes room for more voices. 

Pilar Alderete is an Associate Professor of Spanish at the University of Galway’s School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. Her research focuses on the Translation of Children’s Fiction and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. She champions collegiality and innovative teaching. Her work bridges cultural understanding, equality, diversity and inclusion.