Academic communities are not immune from national politics, global economies, cultural shifts or social issues. In this past year in the US, members of diverse learning and work environments have been challenged by ruptures confronting the broader society—legal assaults on affirmative action, DEI, women’s reproductive health and voting rights, the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent curtailment of the power of federal agencies to maintain health and safety regulations, and international conflicts, to name a few. While these issues present problems for the US and global landscape, they are yet another wave of the persistent social and economic inequities that historical racial/ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ populations, and people with disabilities have long experienced relative to majority groups.

 

The current social, cultural, political and economic landscape demands greater “care and well-being” among new and established scholars, staff, administrators, and graduate students of color across academic communities. This moment demands a fostering of community among and between the various groups. It is highly imperative that we establish practices of generosity for issues such as negotiation of work and life balance, isolation and aloneness, distrust of policies and practices, and uncertainty about the future demand that we recognize and cherish our shared experiences. This call is an invitation to submit reflective essays that offer experience and guidance to peers and colleagues as they navigate these and other circumstances of academic life.

 

We are soliciting contributions to a special issue that can expand a “Care and Well-Being Toolkit” for communities of color in higher education. We seek essays from scholars, professional staff, and administrators across academic disciplinary lines, types of colleges and universities, and the range of university actor categories. This special issue is a departure from the peer-reviewed manuscripts that generally represent the content of WGFC.  We encourage contributions that reflect on the identities and personal experiences of authors as well as essays that offer guidance on topics related to elements of learning, work, and engagement in higher education.

 

We want to build an academic environment where our students, peers, and colleagues can be their best selves. In addition to our roles as editors, our academic trajectories have included varying appointments across multiple universities. Regardless of our respective positions, we want to highlight the experiences of those marginalized within hegemonic academic spaces. These demographic groups remain underrepresented, contribute disproportionately to service, and are less likely to be present at the highest ranks of faculty and university administration. The navigation of various “isms” within institutional bureaucracies, transparency and information sharing, and community building are central to our advocacy, mentoring, coaching, and support activities. These practices make up our own “care and well-being toolkit” for communities of color on the campuses we inhabit. Academia is a layered and complex “institution” with participants from multiple backgrounds and experiences, which demand particular attention. Our ultimate goal is to strengthen the presence and productivity of individuals within our communities and beyond by emphasizing their value, forging critical connections and professional networks among them, and facilitating collaborative scholarship, retention of students, initiatives and transformative equity strategies, and retention and career advancement opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and administrators of color with attention to their multiple intersecting identities (gender, sexuality, 1st gen, disabilities, age, etc.).  

 

In community,

Jennifer Hamer and Ayesha Hardison, Co-Editors