Breaking Dawn: Finding Joy Among the Noise

Abstract

This chapter provides a lens into the systemic “noise” that Black women educators and administrators face during their careers while sustaining their joy for their work. Microaggressions, institutional racism, and burnout are types of “noise” Black women face and often impact their ability to sustain a long educational career. This chapter aims to explore the strategies a 30-year-old veteran educator used to maintain their joy and continue achieving professional success and longevity despite the barriers they and Black women face. The chapter will highlight three core themes that Black women educators will face: breaking the “Noise” of systemic racism, cultivating opportunities for professional engagement, and sustaining the joy they have for their work.