THE WOMEN’S ISSUE | APR. 10, 2024
The Mental Toll of Being a Black Woman in Academia
Photo taken by Nevaeh Richardson
By Asha Taylor & Zoe Cummings
If you were to google “Black women in academia” you would find a horde of people detailing the unique struggle that Black women face in higher education institutions.
They might tell you that Black women make up only two percent of full professors across universities, or that Black women are participating in a mass exodus from academia. What they won’t tell you is why.
While Black women are among the most educated group in the United States, for some that education is costing them their mental wellness.
Increased societal pressures span from familial expectations to unequal treatment in the job field, and the result is increased rates of mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and overall burnout.
For many, mental health often takes a back burner to their pursuit of excellence.
When Black women do try to get help, studies show their symptons often written off or ignored.
“Health care providers may miss depression symptoms in Black women, resulting in underdiagnosis and undertreatment,” said psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner and postdoctoral associate Nicole Perez, Ph.D., RN from New York University.
Recently, HBCUs have sparked a larger conversation about the challenges that Black women face and the related mental toll that the field of higher education has on them after the passing of a beloved educator.
Formerly the vice president of Lincoln University, Dr. Antoinette “Bonnie” Candia-Bailey, 49, committed suicide on Jan. 8.
According to a report made by ABC News, Dr. Candia-Bailey wrote a letter to Lincoln University’s president, John Moseley, detailing her experiences with harassment, bullying, and differential treatment under Moseley and his administrative leadership.
Before her passing, she submitted various complaints to HR about her interactions with President Mosely, which fell on deaf ears.
Eventually, she faced retaliation from President Mosely, which led to her being fired. Commentators have categorized Dr. Candia-Bailey’s experience as an example of “misogynoir” which refers to discrimination directed toward Black women where both race and gender play a role.
Dr. Yanick Rice Lamb, a professor at Howard University, is currently a candidate for becoming the next Dean of the Cathy Hughes School of Communications. In response to hearing the news of Dr. Candia-Bailey’s passing, she expressed deep condolences.
“I think it is really important for administrators, as well as colleagues, to think about how you are treating people and the effect that it’s having on them,” said Dr. Lamb
Higher education institutions must protect the Black women that they employ. With a majority of its students and faculty identifying as women, Howard offers a unique opportunity to uplift the next generation of educated Black female leaders. But it can only do so by confronting the culture that leaves Black women in academia feeling underappreciated.
““You feel like you just have to go that extra mile in order for people to understand that you are a good fit, you can do this, and you can do it just as good as many man, or better,” ”
Associate Dean of Research and Creative Endeavors in the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts, Dr. Ofosuwa Abiola has worked at HU for nearly 10 years. She has also faced the pressures of being a Black woman in academia.
“There are all these pressures of ‘is she gonna be good enough?’ You feel like you just have to go that extra mile for people to understand that you are a good fit, and you can do it just as good as any man, or better,” said Dr. Abiola.
Black women who graduate from the Mecca are positioned to become the world’s next doctors, lawyers, businesswomen, communications specialists, and academic professionals.
With this great privilege comes a responsibility for the university to promote a culture that prioritizes the mental, emotional, and physical safety of its students and faculty, and fortifies them with tools to navigate the world ahead.
Mikeisha Best, academic advisor for the Cathy Hughes School of Communications, dedicates her career to supporting HU’s upcoming communications professionals.
Best has witnessed students compromise their mental health to meet the high standards of Howard’s culture.
Working to bridge the gap between students and professors, Best gives love and grace to her students and peers.
“A lot of you that are at Howard try to have the persona of perfection. I am astounded by what it is doing to you all mentally,” Best said.
To break the cycle, Black women in academia need more love and support to help them achieve greatness, as well as safe spaces to discuss their mental well-being. Ask your peers, professors, deans, and administrators “How are you?” to show appreciation for all that they have overcome.
