When I think of black education, conversations organically go towards catering to the needs and access of resources to students. As a professional in the field of higher education, my primary focus is to work alongside my colleagues and institution to support our students in and outside of the classroom. However, black education and the state of this nation, it should encompass more than just providing support to students. It should also focus on developing ways to continuously support the development of practitioners to better support our students. It is crucial to understand the impact that contributing to the development of staff has in their day-to-day work. Given the nature of this nation and our education system, it is important that as we continue to serve as frontlines of support to students, colleagues, and institutions of work, that we also receive the same levels of support and empowerment.
eAs professionals, we are asked to support students in all aspects. Our levels of support range from academic to conflict mediation, crisis management, and other non-academic situations. Furthermore, we engage with students while in their identity development and, as they understand the subscribed norms of their oppressed identities. In particular, for women of color due to the identities we are subscribed to needing to perform to higher standards than our white counterparts because of the ways the levels of systematic oppressions that persist. As a professional of color, you still remain a person of color, which means that the same identities, spaces, and often-times mental tribulations that our students endure, we do too. And so, we need professional support to help us and strengthen our skill set to be an asset to our students, but also a supportive group that promotes a healthy balance between our professional and personal lives as people of color.
If we approach our work with a student-centered approach, you should note that this is when receiving support, as a professional is most beneficial. Providing support to students should be as important as receiving support from colleagues, work place, community, etc. As professionals of color, we are constantly navigating what it means to be a professional in a black and white America; thus, understanding that we need support to do this work is the first step. When we are drained, we are left with a void of support, love, and self-appreciation. We need that void to be refueled through a supportive community of professionals that promote self-care and appreciate of self and each other.
With the current state of this nation, having Betsy Devos as the Secretary of Education, it is important to critically analyze how are professionals being supported in their roles while supporting students in this education system. This is where some may say that internships and assistantships prepare you to step into a full-time role. I would like to say that it gives you a taste of balancing multiple responsibilities, but not truly the full experience. Transitioning from being a student to being a resource to students is very different. Thus, we should invest time in staff development retreats; conferences, mentoring, partnering of organizations that support our work, etc. to receive support from multiple avenues while supporting our students. Finding a community that empowers you as a human and that understands your work is extremely important because these are the same groups that will advocate for you in spaces where you cannot.
If we approach our work with a student-centered approach, you should note that this is when receiving support, as a professional is most beneficial. Providing support to students should be as important as receiving support from colleagues, work place, community, etc. As professionals of color, we are constantly navigating what it means to be a professional in a black and white America; thus, understanding that we need support to do this work is the first step. When we are drained, we are left with a void of support, love, and self-appreciation. We need that void to be refueled through a supportive community of professionals that promote self-care and appreciate of self and each other.
With the current state of this nation, having Betsy Devos as the Secretary of Education, it is important to critically analyze how are professionals being supported in their roles while supporting students in this education system. This is where some may say that internships and assistantships prepare you to step into a full-time role. I would like to say that it gives you a taste of balancing multiple responsibilities, but not truly the full experience. Transitioning from being a student to being a resource to students is very different. Thus, we should invest time in staff development retreats; conferences, mentoring, partnering of organizations that support our work, etc. to receive support from multiple avenues while supporting our students. Finding a community that empowers you as a human and that understands your work is extremely important because these are the same groups that will advocate for you in spaces where you cannot.
Roseilyn Guzman is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University where she earned a B.S. in Education and Public Policy and M.S. in Higher Education with an emphasis in Student Affairs, in 2013 and 2015, respectively. She is currently an Assistant Director of Residential Life and Case Manager at Amherst College.
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