ACADEMIA Letters

Applied Critical Leadership: A Way Forward through

Shared Disproportionate Trauma
Lorri J. Santamaría

Today on the precipice of a new year, all of humanity is hurting standing together in the wake
of mutually experiencing 2020. Individuals, families, peoples, groups, nations, countries, and
continents were impacted and forced into unimaginable change. Every sector from health to
law enforcement, education to politics, religion to science, and the economy have been hit hard
and tasked with addressing the myriad of complex challenges exacerbated by the pandemic.
With COVID-19 surging and a United States (U.S.) Presidential election absent concession,
it is clear unprecedented changes will reverberate through 2021.
Technological advances and social media make ubiquitous traumas like the inhumane pub-
lic suffocation of George Floyd, an ever-increasing Pandemic death toll, and the attempted
2021 siege of the U.S. Capitol - internationally shared events in real time. We find ourselves
now groaning under the weight of severe social polarities, racial disparities, and the underly-
ing threat of global warming. Our shared traumas are not without familiar disproportionate
gaps which have grown wider. Black and Indigenous peoples, particularly women of color
(BIP[W]OC) in the U.S. and abroad experience disproportionately more instances of COVID,
have triple the amount of virus-related deaths, and suffer more racism, discrimination, and
police brutality than non-BIPOC folks (Maxwell & Solomon, 2021).
This article highlights an adaptable and functional interdisciplinary leadership approach
that has been utilized in a variety of geographical and professional settings and contextualized
beyond education, where it was originally explored and identified. This theory, applied criti-
cal leadership (ACL), may be helpful towards actionable redress for individuals, groups, and
institutions seeking culturally sustaining approaches to leadership and problem solving for
an increasingly jeopardized diverse society. Diversity resistors suggest race and identity are
of no consequence to leadership practice. Those who oppose diversity and inclusion efforts

Academia Letters, March 2021 ©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0

Corresponding Author: Lorri J. Santamaría, L.Santamaria@mixteco.org

Citation: Santamaría, L.J. (2021). Applied Critical Leadership: A Way Forward through Shared
Disproportionate Trauma. Academia Letters, Article 592. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL592.

1
like Damore (2017) in his Google Ideological Echo Chamber so-called manifesto and others
like Major & Kaiser (2017), maintain the study and practice of race-centered leadership is
exclusionary. To the contrary, ACL promotes inclusionary, anti- racist, liberatory, compas-
sionate, respectful, socially just, and equitable theory as practice for change for the greater
good, meaning all involved (Santamaría & Santamaría, 2012; 2015).
Applied critical leadership (ACL) is deeply grounded in critical and critical race the-
ory with salient transformational and transformative leadership philosophical leanings (Bass,
1985; Kincheloe & McClaren, 2011; Ladson-Billings, 1998; Shields, 2010). It offers a depar-
ture from patriarchal leadership and management paradigms void of reference to cultural, lin-
guistic, gender, or socio-economic diversity theorized and written to reflect a time and social
climate when homogeneity, oppression, and segregation were normalized. ACL came to be as
a result of the paucity of explicit leadership theories considering the unique ways in which his-
torically significant contemporary leaders of color and their co-conspirators (e.g., Mahatma
Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, Jr., President John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X,
Caesar Chavez, Delores Huerta, Angela Davis, President Barack Obama, Stacey Abrams,
Alexandra Ocasio-Ortiz, Vice President Elect Kamala Harris) harness positive attributes of
their identities as central to their leadership practice. This is not to say theories of leader-
ship for social justice and equity do not exist (see Jean-Marie, Normore, & Brooks, 2009).
Rather, ACL builds upon and expands those precepts by suggesting educational leaders of
color and others who deliberately choose to serve students and communities of color do so
through lenses of their BIP[W]OC experiences or use of privilege as allied equity partners.
More specifically,

Applied critical leadership is the emancipatory practice of choosing to address

educational issues and challenges using a critical race perspective to enact context-
specific change in response to power, domination, access, and achievement im-
balances, resulting in improved academic achievement for learners. (Santamaría
& Santamaría, 2013, p. 7)

The leadership theory to practice, or praxis, is exemplified by way of nine research grounded
characteristics or actions, observed in the leadership practices of more than 350 leaders in a
variety of contexts ranging from PK-12 education, higher education, and non-profit organiza-
tions, to the seminary, and health agencies with instances of ACL noted in the United States,
Canada, New Zealand, Spain, Mexico, Samoa, and Tonga (Santamaría & Santamaría, 2015).
ACL actions and practices are not inherent to the experiences of BIP[W]OC leaders. Re-
search findings indicate these leadership habits were also exhibited by white leaders who as de-
liberate allies and co-conspirators employ ACL traits to serve BIPOC communities by choice.

Academia Letters, March 2021 ©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0

Corresponding Author: Lorri J. Santamaría, L.Santamaria@mixteco.org

Citation: Santamaría, L.J. (2021). Applied Critical Leadership: A Way Forward through Shared
Disproportionate Trauma. Academia Letters, Article 592. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL592.

2
The following characteristics were observed or reported by leaders surveyed or interviewed
from 2010 through 2020:

• Initiating critical courageous conversations in the communities of practice.

• Utilizing consensus building.

• Working deliberately toward disrupting negative racial, cultural, linguistic, gender, class
stereotypes.

• Enacting leadership as a function of giving back to marginalized/ minoritized BIPOC

communities.

• Creating and disseminating information on critical issues for community and main-
stream.

• Building trust with members of the mainstream or outside of the community of practice.

• Honoring, welcoming, and including all members of the constituency.

• Creating and sustaining inclusive and safe spaces for critical and courageous conversa-
tions.

• Enacting servant, reflective, action-oriented leadership by example.

Research suggests leaders who apply ACL consider race, language, gender, class, and cul-
ture as central considerations in their leadership practice. When leading, they ask themselves
how aspects of their identities enhance their abilities to perceive different perspectives, result-
ing in more informed, appropriate, and therefore effective leadership practices. The idea is that
when leadership is carried out by people who have transcended psychological, emotional, or
societal barriers including experiences with racism, discrimination, and/ or oppression; these
powerful understandings inform their expression of leadership in qualitatively different ways.
These leaders may relate to their constituents through shared aspects of difference (e.g. race,
ethnicity, culture, language) or deeply shared profound struggle (e.g., poverty, language loss,
displacement, genocide). Though ACL emerged from a close consideration of the leadership
practices of BIP[W]OC, this is not to support or suggest the onus nor responsibility dispro-
portionately impact underrepresented leaders in the address, redress, or rectification of shared
oppressions and the traumas left in the wake of the past year.
Reversing racism, anti-Black discrimination, profound psycho-emotional healing, consid-
erations of whiteness as oppression in the U.S., and other critically complex aspects associated

Academia Letters, March 2021 ©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0

Corresponding Author: Lorri J. Santamaría, L.Santamaria@mixteco.org

Citation: Santamaría, L.J. (2021). Applied Critical Leadership: A Way Forward through Shared
Disproportionate Trauma. Academia Letters, Article 592. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL592.

3
with the current era of reckoning, cannot be achieved by leaders of color practicing ACL alone.
The vast majority of multisector leaders are predominantly white and mostly men. Leaders
who are not BIP[W]OC, yet practice ACL, demonstrate a powerful quality in that these in-
dividuals ‘choose to give up’ some degree of privilege in the power redistribution necessary
to manifest and practice the ACL characteristics identified. This was exhibited by leaders
‘walking the talk’ through the realization of espoused theories of socially just and equitable
practices into actual, measurable, theories of practice. These impactful ways of leadership
for change included working on behalf of, to benefit, and alongside co- workers, families,
and communities of color by way of leveraging unearned privilege, influence, and power as
authentic relationships, parity, advocacy, partnership, sponsorship, and mentorship. Some
non-BIP[W]OC leaders went as far as to distance themselves away from racist and discrimi-
natory ways of being by attempting to ‘race’ themselves outside of ‘whiteness.’ These leaders
readily (though temporarily) gave up the privilege of being white, oftentimes forgoing their
dominant voice and perspective, to provide uplift and opportunity from within more diverse
communities of practice.
Research suggests ACL is an emergent theoretical frame, perspective, and way of lead-
ing that is timeless and adaptable and according the inquiry findings, useful across sectors
(Aho & Quaye, 2018; Solis-Walker, 2016). As society is tasked with managing continual
waves of pain and shock associated with the drastic changes disproportionately impacting mi-
noritized (e.g., Black, Brown, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian Pacific Islander, poor, gender, and
ability diverse) people in society leaders across sectors can look to ACL to inform expres-
sions of leadership that are appropriate, equitable, and inclusive. The ACL characteristics
and practices offer a reconciliatory aspect beginning with the healing offered by honest con-
versation including listening with respect bringing in appropriate language interpretation if
necessary and full community representation. When consensus is operationalized as sug-
gested by ACL leaders, as many perspectives as possible are considered. Decisions are made
when the group is able to come to a shared agreement without dissent. The inclusive act
of equal voice and equal consideration becomes restorative and liberatory. Acknowledging
stereotypes, tropes, and assumptions while disrupting inequities within diverse groups be-
ing inclusive of previously silenced voices, can establish relationships in parity. Likewise,
when as a result of embodied ACL, leadership communities begin the practice of creating
and sharing their own narratives through the dissemination of counter stories; perspectives
about diverse communities become more relevant and accurate. Finally, ACL means building
trust, fostering relationships, spending time together, honoring Elder community leadership,
and finding common ground ultimately and unequivocally to serve minoritized groups and
the greater good of all.

Academia Letters, March 2021 ©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0

Corresponding Author: Lorri J. Santamaría, L.Santamaria@mixteco.org

Citation: Santamaría, L.J. (2021). Applied Critical Leadership: A Way Forward through Shared
Disproportionate Trauma. Academia Letters, Article 592. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL592.

4
 There is a selflessness, ‘paying it forward,’ servant leadership, and thereby decolonizing/
co-decolonizing aspect to ACL that gives rise to optimized places, spaces, and conditions
where many can come the ‘table’ safely together: a place where we can roll up our sleeves
side by side and regardless of BIPOC stakeholder diversity or intersectionality. Decoloniz-
ing aspects are realized when Indigenous leaders in particular and other BIPOC leaders work
within their own communities to “rewrite and re-right” community-sourced leadership prac-
tices (Tuhiwai Smith, 1999; p. 29), whereas co-decolonization is reflected in the allied and
co-conspiring leadership practices of folx who are not members of the BIPOC communi-
ties they intentionally and selflessly serve (Santamaría, Santamaría Graff, Diego, Manriquez,
Salazár, Lozáno, León Salazár, García Aguilar, Flores- Haro, 2020; Santamaría, 2021). In
these ways, we move forward into the reconciliatory business of what Tuck, Guess, and Sul-
tan (2014) describe as ‘the henceforward.’ These authors suggest the weary and the shaken
embrace, a future that is made possible in the present. This is a time and space in which
we can tumble into something that will be arranged differently, coded differently, so that our
locations and labors are more than just who we are and who we have been (Tuck et al., 2014).
The start of our shared future begins now. It may not have occurred had we not collec-
tively experienced the unprecedented traumas of yesteryear. Educators, first responders, the-
ologians, civic leaders, managers, directors, and supervisors; as compassionate, empathetic,
intelligent people we can move through these shared and vastly disproportionate traumas,
learning from the present what not to do in the future. We can choose to arrange our tasks
differently; we can step out of our pasts to look forward. We can all be applied critical leaders,
serving our constituents toward unity, creating promising futures together, right now.

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Academia Letters, March 2021 ©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0

Corresponding Author: Lorri J. Santamaría, L.Santamaria@mixteco.org

Citation: Santamaría, L.J. (2021). Applied Critical Leadership: A Way Forward through Shared
Disproportionate Trauma. Academia Letters, Article 592. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL592.

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Academia Letters, March 2021 ©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0

Corresponding Author: Lorri J. Santamaría, L.Santamaria@mixteco.org

Citation: Santamaría, L.J. (2021). Applied Critical Leadership: A Way Forward through Shared
Disproportionate Trauma. Academia Letters, Article 592. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL592.

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Academia Letters, March 2021 ©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0

Corresponding Author: Lorri J. Santamaría, L.Santamaria@mixteco.org

Citation: Santamaría, L.J. (2021). Applied Critical Leadership: A Way Forward through Shared
Disproportionate Trauma. Academia Letters, Article 592. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL592.