Women of Color and Higher Ed

Let me preface this blog entry with the face that it is solely based on the experience of myself and my fellow friends within higher education. I do no discount or lack understanding of the struggle that any other group faces in their own worlds. This is just what I know and what I feel.

I have been working in higher education since 2004. It is what I know and I am extremely talented at it. As I continue to grow within the higher ed industry, so does my struggle. I have gotten to where I am by fighting battles that I have noticed only another woman of color in higher ed would understand. I have had to prove myself in ways many others do not. It is like an uphill battle that if you do know how to fight, you will get no where. Luckily, I have been blessed with resilience and determination to not let others hold me back.

The issue with this all is that after a six year battle to prove I am just as good as others, though I know I may be greater, I am EXHAUSTED! It can drain you and maintaining that passion for the industry when you have someone or some people trying to pull you down. But I continue to fight that good fight. I cannot let someone take my passion for higher ed away. I will admit I am tired and ready for the next phase in my higher ed battle.

What is even worse is when one of us does make it to the top, we forget what the struggle was for ourselves. We then make that uphill battle for other women of color looking to move up even steeper. WHEW! What a workout this is. We then start to treat younger, up-and-coming women of color harsher than others. They now have this new battle to fight. Why is this not part of our undergraduate educations? I have no idea.

However, if it weren't for this battle, many of us would not be as wonderful as we are. My talents are so versatile and plentiful because of these battles that others don't face. But everything has a breaking point. I have to remind myself there is but so much I can do in a day, and I must take care of myself in this whole battle. I was talking to friends in higher ed in different capacities and it was funny that one felt that it was like being in an abusive relationship. We are Tina Turner and higher ed is Ike Turner, and we just keep going back for more. But look at Tina now.

If this abusive relationship continues, we will continue to see a decrease in the number of women of color staying in and moving up in higher education. And we do not want that to happen. Women of color are a part of that all around education most institutions promise students. Women of color have so much to offer not only to higher education but to the world.

If you find a great woman of color who knows her stuff. Go with her, treat her right, and she will in turn help bring great things. Oh yeah... And pay her what she deserves, but that is for another blog.