Chapter 7: Difficult Discussions: Race Talk and Awkward Dinners

Being an ethnic minority professor at an institution of higher education is both rewarding and challenging. This is particularly the case at predominately White institutions or institutions that are racially and ethnically diverse. As a social psychologist, race, racial inequity, and racial inequality are topics we discuss in the courses I teach to both graduate and undergraduate students. Conversations about race are not easy. One of the most challenging aspects of these conversations exist because I am an African American woman at an institution where many of the students, regardless of race or ethnicity, have never been taught by an African American professor. Some students may perceive me as biased when discussing issues of race rather than an expert on the topic. This is particularly so for some of the Caucasian students I teach. They either welcome my perspective and knowledge on the topic of race or they exclaim in my course evaluations that I am too liberal, extreme, and biased when I discuss topics such as systemic and institutional racism. Race talk is an extremely challenging topic and when minority professors are accused of liberalism, extremism, liberalism and bias, they may find it difficult negotiating these discussions.