Client Reviews

Dr. Cheryl Matias

Message to my clients

I care for my clients. I got into this field because I refuse to see more diverse students and/or faculty struggle. I refuse to let criticality die amidst respectability politics that wrongly labels women of Color as incivil or “the problem.” I refuse to have women, diverse faculty and students, or any socially just activist gaslighted into believing they are not good enough, causing extreme self-doubt. Therefore, working with me is about authentic radical care, love, and empowerment. I take the time to truly listen to your passions, synthesize those interests and strengths, and then offer pedagogical, theoretical, and/or research-based considerations. Often times scholars struggle with getting their ideas onto paper, narrowing their focus on a manuscript, or streamlining their writing projects. Others struggle with protecting themselves from academic racial and gender microaggressions and are seeking ways to put protocols in place to protect them. Finally, there are those who get burnt out in doing the radically challenging work of racial justice and are looking into ways to process their experience, possibly while publishing them. In fact, I found it cathartic and healing to truly understand how whiteness, especially the emotionalities of whiteness get emotionally projected onto me. I learned it was not about me. It was always about their issues with who I represent: proud, Brown, strong, intelligent, bold, and beautiful. But I went beyond understanding what I was going through. I wrote my Truth. I analyzed my Truth. I presented my Truth. In all that self-exploration of that which burdens me but is not my burden I became anew…and that fierceness is what I bring to my clients.

Dr. Christin DePouw

Associate Professor

University of Wisconsin

Dr. Cheryl Matias is an exceptional and knowledgeable mentor. She possesses a strong grasp of effective navigation of academic research and publishing as well as the insight and creativity needed to merge professional success with critical race activism. I met Dr. Matias after she gave a powerful presentation at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual meeting a few years ago and initiated a conversation with her. She was supportive, warm, and honest throughout that and subsequent conversations and provided me with the advice I needed to restart my academic writing and publishing. Her mentoring was a turning point for me in terms of writing productivity, which had been a struggle due to my heavy teaching and service load. I appreciate so much her time and support, which helped me to regain the professional trajectory I imagined for myself.

Associate Professor

University of Nebraska

My work with Cheryl has been fundamentally important for my ongoing growth as a white teacher educator committed to anti-racism and social justice. She is incredibly loving while pushing me into challenging recognitions of my blindspots. She is also incredibly hopeful while also being realistic. Her work with me has been so powerful and impactful—I rely on her words (both written and spoken directly to me) on a daily basis as I strive to unlearn and act in ways that reflect an anti-racist, critical whiteness stance. I am deeply grateful for her generosity with her caring brilliance and incredible example of a critical scholar committed to and practicing radical love.

Assistant Professor

Michigan State University

The academy is built upon white supremacist patriarchy; and, oftentimes, faculty and students of Color are operating in a space that wasn’t created for us. However, under the mentorship of Dr. Matias and from reading her work, I have learned how to work in/through/against the academy without losing my soul. Cheryl illustrates how teaching is a transformative act that requires a deep level of vulnerability and a deep understanding of radical love. Not only has Dr. Matias helped to cultivate me as an educator but also as a critical race researcher, language and literacy scholar, and scholar-activist. Her drive, passion, and love are beautifully inspiring and are the qualities that make her the stellar scholar-activists that she is.

Motherscholar & Doctoral Candidate

University of Colorado Denver

Dr. Matias began mentoring me before I’d even been accepted into CU’s doctoral program. She embraced my role as a nontraditional student and mother and gave me a name and identity for that role: motherscholar. In my first semester, she coached me to develop papers I was writing for class into publications, organize conference panels, and had me co-author the pieces she was working on. As I found my own voice and identified my research agenda focusing on whiteness in higher education, Dr. Matias prepared me to first author and solo author to a point where I was even asked to serve as a guest editor for a special issue in my field. Dr. Matias worked with me on that as a co-editor, where we were able to draw from her network of top scholars in our field to write and review for the special issue. At times, as I’ve progressed as a doctoral student, I often felt like I wasn’t ready to present or publish my own work. However, Dr. Matias’s high standards and encouraging approach to mentoring her protégés to be her colleagues have fully prepared me to navigate and succeed in the academy. As I complete my doctoral program with over a dozen publications and even more conference presentations, I feel confident as I seek a tenure-track position. I cannot imagine a better mentor and advisor than Dr. Matias and I’m looking forward to employing her approach to mentoring with students of my own soon!

Ed.D Student

Pepperdine University

Having Cheryl as a writing coach was one of the best decisions I have made. I am currently working on my dissertation proposal and I felt so lost in the direction I wanted to go. Cheryl has an authentic, transparent, and nonjudgmental approach that allows you as a writer to feel comfortable in order to focus ones thoughts and ideas. Cheryl was able to help me take my jumbled ideas and transform them into coherent academic concepts. With Cheryl’s help, I now have more confidence and a renewed energy to continue my writing. I truly feel so lucky to have been able to learn from such a brilliant woman, and will certainly utilize her knowledge and expertise should I become stuck in my writing again.

Assistant Professor

University of South Florida

Dr. Matias is a magnificent scholar and a world-class educator. She provides a broad perspective while guiding nuance. Person centered, she quickly adjusts her approach based on project demands. I met her at a major research conference. We presenting on a panel together related to emotions in education. Since then, I have had the great pleasure to collaborate with her on several education initiatives concerning human rights, racial equity, and multiculturalism. She quickly knows how to interchange theory and research in ways that are personalized and meaningful for everyone; she makes ideas accessible. Dr. Matias has offered me ideas, some of which I implemented in my own work. I have watched her interact with colleagues, students, and the larger public. With a genuine concern for everyone, she is compassionate and thoughtful. Her manner and demeanor is outstanding and contagious. She improves projects from the everyday to excellence with ease and finesse!