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Chapter 8 - Preserving the Mental Health of Black and Brown Professors in Academia

from Part II - Promoting Mental Wellness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 April 2022

Antija M. Allen
Affiliation:
Pellissippi State Community College, Teachers College Columbia University
Justin T. Stewart
Affiliation:
Allen Ivy Prep Consulting
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Summary

For many Black and Brown professors their herculean efforts to excel in academia, despite the limitations imposed by chronic interpersonal and institutional racism, can result in their humanity being overlooked. The unrelenting exigencies of teaching, researching, publishing, administrating, and mentoring all the while cultivating vibrant personal lives can amass enormous strain on their health and wellbeing. The price of being one of few professors of color in predominantly White spaces can be arduous, as conditions of isolation, exclusion, and cultural taxation further compound the psychological stress experienced. The immense value educators of color bring to institutions has been well documented, and thus attention must be given to addressing their unique experiences if their presence in the field is to be maintained, and eventually expanded. In this chapter, the author will explore the various mental health challenges faced by professionals of color in academia and propose effective strategies for addressing them.

Type
Chapter
Information
We're Not OK
Black Faculty Experiences and Higher Education Strategies
, pp. 128 - 144
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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