Young, S. & Aniefuna, M. A. (2024). How Black Educators Navigate Intersectional Identities in the Classroom. EdSurge Research.
Excerpt
We examine the influence of the intersections of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability and migration on these Black women educators’ experiences based on the seen and unseen elements of the participants in this study. We relate my experiences and other participants’ perspectives to the endurance of double consciousness and intersectionality, and we end with questions for future inquiry and suggestions for supporting Black women’s wholeness in the education ecosystem.
Wright, S. & Aniefuna, M. A. (2024). How Trauma Impacts the Well-Being of Black Women Educators. EdSurge Research.
Excerpt
Of the many definitions of trauma, the concept that guides our analyses of trauma in this research is one that acknowledges that anti-Blackness is traumatizing. Coupled with gendered stereotypes placed on Black women, especially within school contexts, the endurance of sexism and anti-Blackness has unique long-term implications on health, well-being and retention in the education workforce.
Aniefuna, M. A. (2024). Despite Challenges, Here’s Why These Black Women Educators Stay in the Classroom. EdSurge Research.
Excerpt
Joy in learning, discovering Black literature and having a relatable role model are some of the benefits of having a Black teacher for Black students. Yet, in our research study on the experiences of this underrepresented group, most of the Black women we talked to experienced the opposite in their workplaces, namely apathy and interpersonal racism and discrimination. They also expressed the weight of more obscure inequalities, like the hidden emotional labor from protecting Black students from inappropriate discipline practices and coping with the stress associated with racism and sexism. What they describe are manifestations of systemic inequalities that impact Black teachers.