Black Woman at Work: A Narrative both Personal and Political

Abstract The story of Black/African descent women in academic leadership is laced with challenging and triumphant narratives, including mine. Here, I share narratives of family, research inquiry into relational aggression in academia, and my own experiences as a Black woman in the academy. Academic context and political timing play a large part in this writing. I use the work of Black feminists and thinkers critical of race and White supremacy in the United States to contextualize my personal narrative and articulate drawbacks and pathways to leadership for women generally, particularly Black women. Practical considerations for leadership development and mentoring are presented.