Nothing.
The past few months I’ve felt like the more I learn, the less I know. I’ve become hyper aware of many things I do not know and have felt ill equipped with the tools to complete many tasks. I wasn’t prepared for the rush of engagement and readers Blackademia attracted.
The past few months I’ve felt like the more I learn, the less I know. I’ve become hyper aware of many things I do not know and have felt ill equipped with the tools to complete many tasks. I wasn’t prepared for the rush of engagement and readers Blackademia attracted.
When Autumn and I started this journey we really thought the only people who would read or engage with us would be friends and family. Funny thing is I engage with more distant peers (people I don’t personally know) way more than loved ones about the blog. In the process, I’ve internalized this expectation to be in the know. That’s simply impossible. And it’s not what Blackademia is about. However, I’ve allowed this internalized pressure that I never explicitly acknowledged stifle me and the progression of Blackademia. I was overwhelmed by the expectations I had set for myself and develop writer’s block. I became pessimistic about Blackademia’s longevity and its ability to grow and sustain interest. I also felt like who am I to be writing this blog? What the heck do I know anyway?
Then I got a new job. And during this transition into a supervisory role I realized I did know a lot and I have experienced A LOT. These experiences prepared me for the position I am in today. There still so much I need to learn but I’ve become comfortable with knowing a lot and not knowing much at the same time. Indirectly, this new role reconnected me to why we started Blackademia in the first place. It’s not about being in the know of all things, but about sharing what we do know, being transparent about our experiences in academic spaces, and developing interest in the progression of people of color in the academy. And I gotta admit, it feels really nice to reconnect to that mission and to continue to work toward producing and posting content, as well as, grinding to make sure Blackademia reaches its full potential and getting out of my own way in the process.
So what the heck do I know? Not much. I do know that I am passionate about education, formal and informal, and I believe in the potential of Blackademia. I also know I deeply care about improving my knowledge and skills to uplift myself, my village, and my team. Lastly, I know that there is a whole lot that I don’t even realize I don’t know (took me several attempts to write that right).
Then I got a new job. And during this transition into a supervisory role I realized I did know a lot and I have experienced A LOT. These experiences prepared me for the position I am in today. There still so much I need to learn but I’ve become comfortable with knowing a lot and not knowing much at the same time. Indirectly, this new role reconnected me to why we started Blackademia in the first place. It’s not about being in the know of all things, but about sharing what we do know, being transparent about our experiences in academic spaces, and developing interest in the progression of people of color in the academy. And I gotta admit, it feels really nice to reconnect to that mission and to continue to work toward producing and posting content, as well as, grinding to make sure Blackademia reaches its full potential and getting out of my own way in the process.
So what the heck do I know? Not much. I do know that I am passionate about education, formal and informal, and I believe in the potential of Blackademia. I also know I deeply care about improving my knowledge and skills to uplift myself, my village, and my team. Lastly, I know that there is a whole lot that I don’t even realize I don’t know (took me several attempts to write that right).
Tiffany is a higher education professional in institutional effectiveness, research, assessment, and planning.
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