Language and Identity Politics in Leadership: Cultivating Comunidad

de León-Zepeda, Dean at Our Lady of the Lake College in San Antonio, Texas, has been profoundly influenced by the work of Gloria Anzaldúa throughout her career. Here, she describes how Anzaldúa’s work, especially the “iterative journey” contained in her concept of conocimiento, has shaped her leadership. Cultivating comunidad in her daily activities as a leader; practicing with testimonio as part of data gathering; centering the spirit in college activities; and enacting the “Coyolxauhqui imperative” by including personal and professional development in performance review are among the key ideas drawn from Anzaldúa that de León-Zepeda puts into her leadership practice.