Profile for Jason Sumontha

Brief biography

Who am I?

Hello! My name is Jason Sumontha. I'm an assistant professor at UWL in the Psychology department. I specialize in the areas of developmental and community psychology.

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What do I teach?

I teach classes on things like culture, identity, and families! In my classes, I like to focus on projects that get students excited about learning.

To see themselves reflected in their learning. To see queer, Asian, Indigenous, adoptee, rural, disabled, and more... reflected in psychology. To know they are seen, are valid, and belong.

It is my life passion to foster educational spaces that inspire hope among students from underserved communities. Hope is the ability to envision a future in which we wish to participate. In this way, many students from underserved communities do not have hope. They cannot envision a future in education in which they feel empowered to participate in their school and classes. I felt this as a young, first-generation college student. I struggled to navigate inherently unjust, racist, homophobic, and ableist systems. There were many times I lost hope.

What inspired me to continue were the educators, staff, and other admins who worked from a social justice lens—interrogating and studying systems of oppression, engaging resistance through research, and teaching and leading with intersectionality at their core. As I grew into a scholar and teacher myself, I have come to strongly believe that equity-based, multicultural education is the key to inspiring hope and promoting academic success among students from underserved communities. Therefore, I am compelled to do this work because it is my life goal to help others find hope in places and institutions I had previously lost hope in.  

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What is my research focus?

I earned my Ph.D. from the University of Virginia where I studied the qualities that promote family health, with a focus on LGBTQ+ parents and their children. 

My research at UWL focuses on promoting the positive development and health of LGBTQ+ families, considering social context and intersections of identity. This includes stuff like:

1. Resilience and protective factors among parents and their children
2. The intersections between sexual orientation, gender identity, race, and socioeconomic status.
3. The application of research on queer families to policy, practice, and law

If you're interested in working with me on as a research or teaching assistant, you can send me an email or just stop by my office during my office hours!

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What else do I do at UWL?

All my life, I've been heavily involved in Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Accountability efforts. 

Here are just a few things I've done or am currently doing at UWL to make positive changes!

2021-Present      Co-Chair, Gardner Institute Teaching and Learning Taskforce
2021-Present      Chair, BIPOC & International Staff, Teachers, and More! Affinity Group
2021-Present      Equity Liaison, UWL Psychology
2021-Present      Adviser, UWL Leaders Igniting Transformation (LIT)
2021-Present      Adviser, UWL Asian Student Organization (ASO)
2019-Present      Member, Diversity and Inclusion Committee – Psychology
2021-2022           Member, UW System Campus Climate Survey Working Group
2019-2022          Member, Child and Youth Care (CYC) Committee – Psychology
2020-2021          Member, RISE UP Faculty & Friends Group
2020-2021          Chair, BIPOC Self-Care Collective
2019-2021          Chair, Faculty Teaching Development Group – Psychology

Moving beyond ally:

I put myself on the front lines with my students and colleagues.
I commit to making concrete actions that focus on undoing harm, rather than just listening and learning. 
I lift up voices of the historically excluded, not just my own.
I take action and disrupt injustice, even at the cost of my own social standing or physical well-being. 
And I will make mistakes, but I will learn from them and keep trying to improve. 

That is what it means to be more than an ally to me. 

[Image description: A group picture of the Asian Student Organization (2021-2022) who I work with as their faculty advisor!]