An article I read some years ago talked about 3 types of mentors in a way that made many Drs. Really-Good-at-their-jobs scream in unison: RIGHT?! First, let me revisit Martinez-Cola’s concepts in terms of faculty mentorship. Martinez-Cola described the “Collector”. This is an established mentor who “collects” faculty of color. What would be a non-gen X term? I don't know. All I have is that it is like collecting baseball cards, Pokémon, trinkets, and chachkies. They add up. The Collector sprinkles your name here and there, and their self-perception is that they are soooo well-meaning, but the relationship is completely tokenized and superficial. To no surprise the relationship is about making that mentor look good rather than providing true support. The small benefit to you is a short reputational boost, but again nothing long-lasting or meaningful.

The second term is “Nightlights”. These mentors help faculty navigate challenges. They recognize systemic barriers and use their privilege to illuminate injustice, hidden rules, offering practical guidance. They are already using their powers for good, so a deep personal connection might be unnecessary. Martinez-Cola’s last term is “Allies”. These mentors actively support and advocate for faculty of color. They understand systemic inequities, build trust, and work toward equity in real time.

I was reminded of these terms during a recent conversation with Dr. Really-good-at-her-job. In one situation, an individual “claimed” her as a mentee in public, while also listing the “many minority faculty" they had mentored. It felt strange she said, “as if parading” a group of folks to gain some sort of credibility. Not a fun kind of parade.

It made me think of other conversations with other Drs. Really-good-at-their-job. In another instance, a mentor offered Dr. Really-good-at-her-job’s name to a collaborator. She was excited-that is- until she noticed and the collaborator admitted they were replacing the only other faculty of color in the study with her. They were replacing one faculty of color with another. Funny thing is that I have seen this so many times in my life and yet, the individuals involved believe no one notices. If you are asking yourself if this is obvious, yes. Awkward? Also, yes. Not for you, Dr. Thinks-no-one-notices. It is awkward for the two faculty of color.

Then there is this one, Dr. Really-good-at-her-job meeting with Dr. Shady-mentor who claims he had "discovered" her colleague and had helped them along their career journey. Unfortunately, both colleagues knew each other well. It felt like nativist ownership or at the very least a type of Christopher Columbus complex.

Why do I bring this up?

I was reflecting about mentoring. I have never considered myself a mentor unless the individual says it out loud. Even then, I reflect Am I the mentor I would’ve wanted? Am I a mentor worth having? And if I'm someone's only mentor, I say, “We need to find you more folks that are in your corner". If I could add to Martinez-Cola’s categories, I’d add the Cheerleader, the Connector, and probably a few more on the positive side. On the negative side, I would add to the Collectors, their cousins:

· The Matches, they burn you out really quickly.

· The Cats, kings and queens of neglect and unavailability. Yes, I am a dog person.

· The Squirrels, a shiny new mentee will grab their attention. Yes, I am not a fan of squirrels either.

· The MMFA- the lack of cultural responsiveness crew. Ask me in person what I mean with MMFA.

You get the gist of this.

Personally, I had two situations, several years apart, the two claimed to be my mentors, one in public and one over email. Both times I wondered when exactly they mentored me. If someone had asked me, "How great is it to be mentored by Dr. Took-it-upon-herself and Dr. Helped-me-with-one-thing? I would've said, "I don't know what they are talking about." This, I admit, also highlights the different ideas of what mentoring means and sometimes it is in conflict with who we are, what we want and need.

Today's story is not about leadership lessons, rather some dos and don'ts for mentors and mentees.

For “mentees” of a Collector:

1. Not everyone that helps you with something deserves such an honored title.

2. Don't stay in toxic mentorship relationships.

3. Choose wisely.

4. There is no single-all-purpose mentor. At times, you will have different needs.

5. Some of you equate great mentorship with federal grants. This simply demonstrates funding success. Ideally, a mentor has more to offer than publications and titles. Reflect honestly on your current mentoring relationships.

For mentors:

1. Live up to the title. Don’t be a Collector.

2. Know the different roles needed for academic success and encourage mentees to fill every role with people of integrity.

3. Remember mentorship is not about power over another individual, it is not about control or being a savior.

4. Your authenticity speaks louder than the length of your CV or fancy-pants title.

5. Take this moment right now to question: Am I a Collector? Because we need more Allies.

I will put myself out there, I am happy to advocate and fight for what is right by faculty and mentees, yet at this point in my career, I would still like mentors that are doing the right thing by me, fighting discrimination, fighting structural and leadership wrongs.

In inclusive and equitable mentoring, mentors recognize their privilege, support mentees of color in ways that shift power, create true agency, and promote systemic change rather than just helping them navigate injustice.

Last example, a Dr. Really-Good-at-her-job was told by a mentor that she “should’ve ran with it”. “It” meaning conditions that were wrong, demonstrated bad faith, and didn’t solve the problem. It felt like she was being asked to be compliant with a broken system. We need the Ally-mentor, who engages in self-reflection and works to dismantle barriers even when they realize they are part of the problem.