Chapter 3: Knowledge, Wisdom, and Favor: Losing Some Battles, but Winning the War

This work describes my journey to the endowed chair by using the metaphors “battle” and “war” because there are minor and major conflicts on the path to this position. I provide a narrative of her role and the role of others as I climbed from a small town that was historically, part of the “underground railroad,” to the Ivory Towers of the academy. Embodied in the work are insights on resilience, replenishment and emotional health for the human spirit, and positive activism and strategies for mentoring the next generation of scholars. Finally, I share how I lost some “battles,” but am on the road to winning the “war” in the realm of education.