Meaningful Moments: How Mentors and Collaborators Helped Transform Career Challenges into Opportunities

Abstract As a Black, female, feminist, intersectional psychologist whose scholarship defies traditional categorization, I have faced several challenges within academia including identifying my scholarly niche, finding collaborators, and building networks. In this article, I identify how, by building and extending my network, I have been able to: (a) become an “authentic scholar,” who conducts scholarship consistent with my training, feminist values, and intersectional theoretical framework; (b) find support and coaching to deal with issues of stereotyping and unequal treatment within academia; (c) support graduate students and early-career faculty, especially those of color; and (d) take on leadership roles.