Sustaining the Work: Care, Coalition, and Commitment in Identity-Based Practice From Here?

Abstract

This closing chapter situates the contemporary moment for identity-based centers within a longer historical arc of activism, resistance, and institutional transformation in higher education. Drawing on practitioner narratives across the volume and the current political landscape marked by growing legislative constraints on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, the chapter examines how identity-centered work continues to evolve amid shifting policy, organizational tension, and heightened scrutiny. Through an analysis of practitioner experiences across multiple institutional contexts, the chapter highlights the enduring role of coalition building, critical self-reflection, joy, care, and advocacy in sustaining spaces that foster belonging and student success. By tracing the intersections of history, politics, and practice, this chapter argues that identity-based centers remain vital sites of resistance, relational labor, and institutional change. Rather than signaling an endpoint, this moment represents a continuation of a much longer struggle—one shaped by legacy, responsibility, and the ongoing commitment of practitioners to equity, justice, and the future of higher education.