The act of truth-telling can be liberating, healing, disruptive, and even transformative in the spaces we reside. I will share ways that I’ve utilized radical honesty as a compass of truth; One that guides me to honor my authenticity, make difficult decisions that prioritize my wellness, and actualize desires for joy and peace in the present. Rather than offer a well-manicured reflection, this reflection will embody a state of internal examination and external interrogation of my professional roles within higher education. In doing so, I am able to find my way back to a grounded position of love and self-worth.

I come from a long line of storytellers, humans who understood the power of bringing their community together to share words that would linger for generations to come. Stories like the one my great-grandmother Agustina would share, about the time she and other young women in her small village came up with a solution on how to escape the Mexican revolutionaries who would snatch women off of the streets as they rode by

In some cases, as colleagues navigate leaving their institutions, their experiences sound almost like a bad breakup. And that makes sense. Feelings of mattering are often similar (and directly connected) to how we feel when we are truly loved. The love of family, friends or a romantic partner - though drastically different in display - speak to our own human need to be seen, heard, and valued.

Clocking Emotional Labor

Though emotional labor is a necessary function in the workplace, it becomes burdensome when there is incongruity with compensation, recognition and when it is used over an extended period of time. Normally, I experience emotional labor in autopilot mode, where it’s second-hand nature for me to constantly give to others. Because I care about my work and love fostering relationships with others, it becomes hard to detect when emotional labor becomes a problem.

Here are some examples of what emotional labor can look like…

At CKM we seek to support Women of Color (WOC) as they fulfill the important academic achievements of a career in higher education. We are witnessing an unprecedented graduation season characterized by drive-by ceremonies and YouTube video commencement speeches. So, CKM wants to acknowledge the momentousness of the achievements of WOC. The following messages are the collective milestones and good wishes for the Women of Color graduates not just of this year but of the years prior. We stand upon each other’s greatest strengths and attributes.

In this blog, two mothers who self-identify as women of color reflect on Michelle Obama’s quote as they discuss their career choices and transitions. The following is reflection from each on how they experienced professional and personal changes. It is important to note that the two authors approached the co-authoring of this blog by engaging in an authentic conversation.

I felt a tremendous weight lift from my shoulders. I dove head first into new projects - elated to reclaim my time - time that was once consumed by my research and dissertation. I planned more outings, took on new projects and … (as some of you who have experienced this journey know what’s coming) … I crashed. The adrenaline that had propelled me through the past three and a half years suddenly escaped my body, leaving me drained and overwhelmed. I felt guilty for lacking the drive to take on more - partially because I had “more time.” But, I quickly realized why my mind and body slowed and why I felt as if I was breaking down.

Having spent significant time learning about WOC identity as a political project, one where collaboration, conflict, and differences are necessary, my fear is that limited conversations on colorism in these spaces risk the degree to which solidarity and coalition work is possible.

Code-switching compromises our ability to provide authentic expression when we need it. This is not the same as repressing emotional statements that can be harmful, rather code switching is the conscious selection of different words or phrases in order to provide linguistic credentials in the workplace.

As Women of Color (WOC), we have been socialized to believe that our stories are not worthy of being researched; Especially when WOC choose to research other WOC. Research that utilizes White-centered logic often uses a deficit lens to analyze those on the margins of society. Knowing this, what does it mean to reimagine our relationship to research? What does it mean for WOC to create knowledge that affirms and empowers WOC to rely on their own experiential knowledge as truth?

But is suffering in higher education inevitable? Are we as human beings expected to endure toxic environments, unrealistic workloads, and relentless inequality when doing work that is meaningful simply because we asked for it? Is suffering required when doing work that is steeped in your own values, principles, and causes?

No. It shouldn’t be.