Noting these moves in states such as Texas, Kansas, Alabama and Florida, it is important to consider ways social justice advocates can continue fighting against these forces.  

It is crucial to consider the hidden barriers to true equity that remain, known as internalized racism—or the attitudes, practices and systems that Black people assume as the norm.   

First coined by University of California-Riverside sociologist Karen D. Pyke in 2010, it remains one of the understudied aspects of racism today.  Clinical counselor, Dr. Janeé M. Steele at Walden University and clinical psychologist, Dr. Charmeka S. Newton at University of South Dakota, both highlight how racial trauma affects the mental health of Black people.  

 As a child growing up in the South, I remember adults saying, “Don’t air out dirty laundry” when I spoke up observing others’ actions which entailed, “If I can’t succeed as a person of color, neither can you.” This is otherwise known as the crabs in a barrel mentality, and can be a force that can stand in the way of people of color moving forward.  

As a Black woman who is also a DEI administrator and faculty member in higher education for over 15 years, I have witnessed both people of color and white people saying that they are immune to racist or bias acts because they support DEIA initiatives.  

In 2021, Stacey Abrams, lawyer, activist, and former state representative of Georgia, said at the National Association for Diversity Officers in Higher Education virtual conference that people may support diversity, equity, inclusion and access initiatives, but may not support certain people actually doing it.  

In higher education, simply supporting DEI initiatives in public while singling out one to two underrepresented faculty or staff does not make one immune to racist acts. 

The 2021 novel, The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris later became a fictional series on Hulu in 2023. It highlights the experiences of the main character, Nella, navigating the workplace, and what happens when another Black woman is brought onto the team, as well as their experiences dealing with microaggressions.  

Dr. Wendi Williams, psychologist, Provost and Senior Vice President at Fielding Graduate University, writes in 2020 : “It is often said that because white people could be uncomfortable with too many Black people in predominantly white institutional settings, Black people were left with fewer opportunities to advance beyond their life station. As a consequence, Black people compete with one another for those opportunities.”

In addition, Dr. Carey Yazeed writes in “Why Black Women Hurt Each Other in the Workplace,”  “At some point, a few Black women in leadership roles stop identifying and associating with other minorities in the organization and begin to align themselves with everyone else who is seated at the boardroom table, which isn’t you and I.”

 Acknowledging internalized racism in academia is not to place blame, but to continue raising awareness of a very real issue experienced by many Black colleagues across the country.  

In their research, “Black Girl Glare,”  Drs. Rebecca George and Alexanderia T. Smith from Webster University create regular spaces to not only gather, but to also acknowledge how internalized racism is yet another system of racism designed to keep Black people from supporting one another and celebrate successes.    

As a teenager, I invited a Black female vocalist to be a guest performer (nearly 20 years my senior) at one of my first solo concerts in Texas.  

The experience was disappointing. During the first rehearsal, she treated me as if I was in a subservient role.  At the end of the performance, she took a bow without acknowledging me and walked off stage.  

It has been my experience that white colleagues can sometimes further facilitate internalized racism when only hiring one or two Black colleagues at a time.  A White administrator treated me as a problem when I asked questions and spoke up about equity issues.  Instead of addressing the concerns, I was met with annoyance and avoidance, while claiming, at the same time, they were supportive to colleagues of color.  

In higher education, the DEIA movement on campus can be complicated when long-established leaders feel threatened of losing their power positions. I have also been surprised by a Black colleague publicly attacking my work and attempting to undermine DEI initiatives, and airing grievances during a DEI-related event.

 To be sure, Black women suffer from numerous microaggressions in higher education.

 Recently more people are speaking up about the mental health of Black women, particularly in light of the 2024 death of Dr. Antoinette Candia-Bailey at Lincoln University and the President’s clearing of charges at the end of a third-party investigation.  

 There are avenues to solutions. American Association of Blacks in Higher Education has created opportunities for conversation and support.  Faculty Women of Color in the Academy National Conference, which takes place annually at Virginia Tech, is another avenue for support and fostering community.  

Dr. Cynthia Pong, JD, based in New York City and founder of Embrace Change, has offered solutions on how to feel supported in the face of the ‘pet to threat’ syndrome. This term was created by Dr. Kecia Thomas, psychologist and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at University of Alabama at Birmingham.  

Surely there is room for more than one person of color to be at the table in higher education. It is necessary to continue acknowledging and celebrating one another as Black academics make their mental well-being a priority. 

At the same time, reports of students facing bias and racism on campuses, such as at University of Illinois Chicago, and beyond, have increased. Many faculty and staff also face having to navigate climate concerns, particularly when speaking up about DEI matters.

The threat of locking down and eliminating these programs is a devastating blow to higher education and the future of education. Illinois institutions are working to address these issues through financial support of DEI initiatives and curriculum, such as Elmhurst University’s nursing program. 

As an Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, an educator for over 15 years, and a classical music performer, I have heard from students, faculty and staff on their frustration with being bounced around when directed to the resources after experiencing various instances of microaggressions, bias, or trolling in the classroom and beyond.

Certainly, many schools already have options for faculty and students to access on DEI issues including websites and pamphlets. Yes, resources are vital for support—particularly those that address inclusion, equity, and belonging. However, it is important for institutional systems to follow up to ensure certain protocols are effective, and that they take action to address unfairness and discrimination.

In William K. Balzer’s 2020 book, Lean Higher Education: Increasing the Value and Performance of University Processes, he writes that “an institution’s processes have an indirect but important impact on success.”  He also writes that responses to concerns usually “require an individual with authority to intervene and handle the complaint outside of the official process but who has little contact with the process.”

Canada-based corporate wellness strategist and speaker who specializes in addressing culture, nutrition, and wellness programs, Sonia Funk, stated in 2021 that, “We do not need anymore ‘systems’ or ‘programs’ for the human condition.”

Indeed, self-advocacy is important. In my experience, there is often a fear among faculty, staff, and administrators that following up for action is met with responses that are dismissive and bureaucratic.

In a 2021 Association for Computing Machinery journal article, the authors write: “Participants explained that the support they received, or lack thereof, was fundamentally blind to this tension; institutions and departments were at best ill-equipped to support faculty experiencing harassment, and often entirely dismissive of the issue, or resentful of an individual’s choice to operate in the public sphere.”

Nicole Cooke, an endowed chair and associate professor at University of South Carolina, writes that it took two weeks for tech services at her former institution for her contact information to be suppressed in the campus directory.

At a time when DEI initiatives are threatened legally, how administrators respond to incidents of bias are all serious dilemmas on campus and beyond. Someone who has experienced trauma needs not feel an obligation to weigh in on simple resources, but response teams can consider testing out the protocols to ensure that, in the case of an emergency situation, administration will take action.

In my experience, many colleagues are committed to following up. Even if they don’t have the answer, they work to make sure that the person gets pointed in the right direction. But many students, faculty, and staff report they have experienced unhelpful advice.

Acknowledgement beyond mere public statements can go far. Defensiveness when someone has already experienced an attack or harassment exacerbates the situation.

Yes, there is a greater need for resources for students. There need to be more opportunities for administrators to invite informal dialogue such as listening sessions with faculty, staff, and students.

Afterwards, it is helpful if there is follow-up beyond short-term task forces or steering committees. Though change doesn’t happen overnight, this helps with trust-building and fostering community.

Those who encounter backlash to DEI opposition in the form of bias and microaggressions, need more than a pamphlet or direction to a website. All faculty, staff, and students deserve support on campuses. There must be concrete follow-up.

Black women have been subjected to unfair scrutiny in multiple spaces for too long. Physical limitations are often imposed on women of color based on societal biases and discrimination.

When we speak up about mistreatment– as many have experienced in higher education—Black women are often labeled “angry”– and others interrupt them during meetings or exclude them. It is exhausting.

This is not about New Year’s resolutions or being a “strong Black woman.” I often have to decide when to step away in problematic physical situations. It is about recognizing the space and regularly engaging in self-awareness.  I practice doing both by including pull-ups as part of my exercise routine.

As a Black female classical pianist for more than three decades, recording artist, professor and administrator at the University of Illinois working in academia for 15 years, I find the pull-up exercise therapeutic as it helps me claim my power for self-check-in.

Black actresses Angela Bassett, Ayo Edebiri, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph continue to draw admiration for their talent, grace, physical strength and presence on and off the red carpet. They are role models for fitness and personal power.

A 2023 study shows the pull-up exercise is one of the most challenging tests of upper body strength.  As with being a musician, it also requires practice, patience, and perseverance.

Physical Education (P.E.) was my least favorite subject in grade school. I was more fascinated with music and spelling.  When our elementary school class was forced to stay indoors due to inclement weather, I was thrilled. Outside of school, piano lessons were my top priority. In high school, I was in marching band, which allowed me to be exempt from P.E.

At age 12, a once-trusted mentor questioned whether I could achieve my goal of becoming a concert pianist because of my race. I began increasing my piano practice time to several hours a day. By the time I reached high school, a typical practice day for me was four to five hours a day on weekdays and up to eight to nine hours on weekends.

As an undergraduate student, it was 10 hours every day, including holidays. As a graduate student, my practice schedule was six to eight hours per day.

Because I was not exercising regularly, this eventually took a physical toll on my upper body. Medical testing revealed nothing, so I moved forward with an exercise routine.

I have been lifting weights and doing other bodyweight exercises consistently since 2015. I started my pull-up journey in July 2017, and I was able to land my first pull-up in November 2017.

There is an intersection between being a classical musician and the physical power required for pull-ups. In both spaces, colleagues and fellow gym-goers directly and indirectly attempt to infer what I can and cannot do.

Many Black women embrace their physical strength, such as the world’s oldest female bodybuilder Ernestine Shepherd and Guinness book record holder and powerlifter Tamara Walcott.

There are also stories of women doing pull-ups online and sharing this power with others.

In classical music, performers pay attention to control of smaller muscles and musical interpretation. Many musicians frown upon lifting weights or strenuous activity. But a 2023 study shows musicians benefit from warmups of all muscles.

Considering the benefits of exercise long term and expanding human capabilities, journalist and runner Alex Hutchinson, Ph.D. writes in his 2021 book, Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance, that “we can’t talk about the limits of endurance without considering the brain and perception of effort.”

In addition, recent studies also show the benefits of daily exercise for those who sit for prolonged periods of time.

Having successfully recorded and commercially released piano music over the last three and a half years, I attribute this to my mental and physical stamina acquired through strength training, stretching, knowing when to step away, and especially pull-ups.

Studies do show women tend to have 40-75% less upper body strength than men. However, it doesn’t mean that women are incapable of lifting their body weight and more.

Journalist and athlete Christie Aschwanden, in her 2020 book, “Good to Go: What the Athlete in All of Us Can Learn from the Strange Science of Recovery,” writes that recovery provides “a ritual for taking care of yourself that gives you a sense of autonomy and self-efficacy.” It also creates a “formalized way to stop everything else and help you focus on resting.”

With pull-ups, awareness and breathing are crucial before the start, during, and at the end of the movement. Yes, I am strong, and I am worthy of being in these spaces.

Women of color continue to claim physical and mental strength when deciding to start a new project or set a new goal despite resistance from others. It is also acceptable to say “no” and step away when a situation is problematic.

We can claim our power and truly own our physical strength in every space.

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