Imposter syndrome in academic libraries: Indigenous women edition.

This paper is a part of the proceedings of the 2022 LACUNY Institute. In a panel presentation, the authors discuss personal instances and feelings of the imposter phenomenon (also known as imposter syndrome) as it relates to their Indigenous identities. Additionally, they describe how imposter syndrome may affect their ability to be successful in their careers, and the internal pressure they feel to present a more Indigenous identity (whatever that may entail) in their scholarship and their professional positions. The authors also share their experiences with external pressures to exhibit a more "stereotypical Indigenous" appearance for the sake of their role as Indigenous library staff members, peers, and appliers for academic opportunities and how these pressures relate in their interactions with other Indigenous people through their work. They address recent developments in academia regarding the hiring of Indigenous peoples and avoiding "pretendians" (people who falsely claim to have Indigenous ancestry). The goal of the authors is to encourage discourse in the vein of Truth and Reconciliation and to spread awareness about imposter syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]