Chapter 7: Narratives of Resistance: The Experiences of Black Women as Teachers, Leaders, Mothers, and Academics

Dominant constructions of Blackness, and Black women in particular, often essentialize the Black female experience, while employing a range of ‘race-based’ pathologies to justify hostile and unequal treatment. In this chapter, we apply a central tenet of critical race theory, counter-storytelling, to express our realities with racism and our resistance to racism. We expose and critique the systemic nature of racism, accent the significance of Black feminist precepts in interpreting how the Black female body is ‘read’ and ‘Othered’ by majority group members, and challenge hegemonic tropes that aim to undermine, thwart, and silence counter-hegemonic thought and action. In essence, by drawing on the narratives of Black women, we envision and rearticulate forms of resistance—concerted collective and individual efforts aimed at dismantling a racialized and unequal social order.