Unmasking the Strongblackwoman in Mentoring

Abstract

The strongBlackwoman (SBW; Morgan, 1999) is a hip hop generation cultural script strategically performed by Black women to project authority, competency, and togetherness. It acts as psychic armor to shield against the deadly daily dagger of White heteropatriarchy in the academy. The author recites two indelible moments when she engages as mentor to narratively stage unmasking. Each moment provides a pedagogical opportunity to reimagine so-called failed performances as reclamations of her humanness. In doing so, the author demonstrates how unmasking engages a Black feminist ethic of empathy and exemplifies a Black feminist praxis to engender relatable, compassionate, and life-affirming mentoring.