Dorah Mtui Item Info
Dorah Mtui
Topics:
Dorah Mtui:
Interviewer:What is your name and position at the University?
DM:My name is Dorah Mtui, and I’m Lab Coordinator slash lab manager for the college of natural resources.
IN:In terms of race and ethnicity how do you identify?
DM:I identify Black. But as an African, American, the way it is assigned since arrived there.
IN:Where are you originally from?
DM:I’m from Tanzania.
IN:What made you choose the University of Idaho when choosing where to work?
DM:Oh, that’s interesting. Um, I am a trailing spouse, followed my husband here. So, did I choose here? I don’t know. This is where he ended up being, he got faculty position and I came along.
IN:So does he work here as well?
DM:Yes
IN:Where does he work?
DM:He works at the college of science, yeah.
IN:What challenges have you experienced as a member of the University of Idaho faculty and staff?
DM:I am staff, not faculty. Well, like other employers, University if facing lack of staff. We have a lot of people who are either retired, of quit working and you wish could have more people to help you. So yeah.
IN:What has the climate been while you have been here?
DM:Um, the university is a little different from the city. You asking me in my experience as a black person right?
IN:Yes.
DM:University is more welcoming than the city, I think. At university campus, I do interact with people from different places and who have interacted with people from various places, so they don't show, or they don't seem to see something different towards you. Rather than your work and they try to judge based on your skills based on how you do your job, that’s how I experience. In the city it is a little different. Depending who you meet or who you interact with.
IN:And what group do you mean?
DM:What I mean is, interaction with older people is different from young people. Young people are more acceptance of black persons. I been here 13 years, and you can see the first time you met with people and how they treat you. Now 10 years later, it’s a little bit different when you talk to them. They treat you different. The time has changed or evolved.
IN:Have you been able to develop positive relationships with other black people during your time here at the University of Idaho?
DM:I have met other blacks, they are either staff or faculty with African origin, those are the first people I met, because when someone hear how you speak, the first thing they get is your accent. So especially your colleague, white people, they say, “I know someone from Africa,” that is where they connect you, to another black person. So those are people I met first when we got here.
Then, last year after the death of George Floyd happened, the diversity officer, she organized us, a group of black people to meet online. That’s where I met other staff who were African-American, online for the first time. Of course we met and since then and there’s a positive relationship, whenever we meet online, people tend to care more about you, your feeling, your wellbeing, things like that. That’s really make connection and feel that you have a supporting community around you.
IN:Rochelle asked me how your experience at the university might be impacted since you are from Tanzania?
DM:My experience is a little bit different. I think, it varies from a person who came straight here from Africa or Tanzania a little bit because before coming to USA, I was living in Japan. And so earlier years when I compare my experience, my only reference point was my home country, or Africa. But now, coming to USA, I have three areas for comparison, that okay, I was in Tanzania, I was in Japan, I was in USA. I always try to make sure what fits where when speaking about my experiences. I think that helps me a lot with what I experience here. In my comparison in different places. The treatment is different.
For instance, you and I, when you see me for the first time you see a black woman, and I see a white woman, and things or different kind of interactions move on from there. That is my first interaction with people, and then slowly it comes by name, I’ll call you Irelyne, and you will call me Dorah, Okay? Because you say oh I met Dorah, but that comes later, at first you say, oh I met a black woman somewhere. So at first I was shocked when I found that, that was in Japan. Because I was not expecting that, people referring to me by my skin color. So coming here, I was expecting that, the first initial reaction would be about my skin color, then slowly coming to know me by name. So my experience here was a little different because I was exposed to it a little bit somewhere else. So what I am now comparing is treatment from different people to how it was back in Japan, because there is no comparison to Tanzania on this.
IN:What do you feel has been your greatest contribution to your department during your time at the university?
DM:My greatest contribution to my college is improving safety culture in the college and coordination of laboratory works. When I started, they were without a lab manager and things were out of control. I established rules and order, equipment maintenance and inventory, and replacement of old equipment. I am the only black staff here (to the best of my knowledge) and I try to be as carefully as possible not to draw unwanted attention to myself. I would like to add that I like now we have Black Faculty and Staff Association. That was the best thing. It is not yet officially put in the university as one of the organizations. This group is the best thing I think for black employees.
It was the right time to start it. At first there was no such a thing as that. This group offer a place for us where we can meet and discuss our experiences freely, especially because we are all black and from different areas on campus. The death of George Floyd and the treatment of black affected us. So it was great to have a place to talk and discuss. I think I can call lifelong friendship with people I didn't know before here on Campus and knowing that they are here to offer support and listen to you. I hope many people would be able to join this group. And for students, of course I haven't I met many black students, only a few who were able to join our meetings. However, there are Black students union and African students organizations. I encourage them to join those groups. There are so many good things that can happen when working together in groups. only students who were able to come to one of our meetings.
IN:Do you feel like the University has done enough to support you during your time here?
DM:I feel like they are trying their best. The university at this state they have to balance their things, but I think they are trying their best, and I think that comes in terms of following what it brings in, that I appreciate for instance, the last few years Human resource worked on the pay compensation. They tried to pay us well. At first I was being paid way below. But then they considered my education level and what I am supposed to be paid, and they bring it up. I feel like they do try. I don’t know, they do it for everyone or they did increase my pay because I am black. I think they value people’s skills and what they bring to the university. Do I feel I get a good support as a black employee? I guess they are trying their best by having non-discriminatory policies.
- Title:
- Dorah Mtui
- Type:
- text
- Format:
- application/pdf
- Preferred Citation:
- "Dorah Mtui", Black History at the University of Idaho, Black History Research Lab, University of Idaho
- Reference Link:
- https://www.lib.uidaho.edu/blackhistory/items/dorah_mtui.html
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