Catch Me When I Fall! Resiliency, Freedom and Black Sisterhood in the Academy

Authors

  • Delores V. Mullings Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador
  • Amoaba Gooden Kent State University
  • Elaine Brown Spencer

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18733/cpi29535

Abstract

Many Black women academics feel caged in their ‘subject position[s]’ within the academy. They are challenged by lack of opportunities and mentorship, isolation, explicit racism, micro-aggressions and stereotyping. Despite the ways in which their bodies are marked by racist sexism, Black women faculty take on an inordinate amount of unrecognized, differentiated labour and service work in the academy. They tend to assist other racialized colleagues, graduate and undergraduate students to achieve academic success. There is a common thread of resiliency among these women who successfully navigate their paths in the academy through applications of the concept of Radical Black Academic Sisterhood. This is an interpretive praxis that utilizes both an oppositional stance and creates brave spaces to deal with experiences of being caged.

Author Biographies

Delores V. Mullings, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador

Delores V. Mullings is an Associate Professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador in the School of Social Work. Her scholarly interests include mothering, community-engaged scholarship, the Scholarship of Teaching and Learnig, health and social needs of older Black adults, social pollicy, critical race theory, newcomers in rural areas and anti-Black racism. 

Amoaba Gooden, Kent State University

Amoaba Gooden is and Associate Professor at Kent State University in the Department of Pan-African Studies. Her research focuses on migration and identity among African Caribbean immigrants living in Canada and social networking as a determinant of health among African Caribbean people and immigrants in general.

Elaine Brown Spencer

Dr. Elaine Brown Spencer earned her undergraduate degrees in Political Science, Social Science & Social Work at York University and then went on to graduate studies at the University of Toronto, where she completed her Masters in Social Work and a PhD in Sociology & Equity. She is currently a senior policy analyst in a public agency and a part time instructor at York University. She merges her academic scholarship with creative and artistic endeavours as a play writer to tackle contemporary issues plaguing the faith community and specifically the Black church.

Wave at Rozelle, St. Thomas by Emma Lewis

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Published

2021-08-27

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 1 (2020): "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"

Section

Post Colonial Articles, Poetry, Artwork