CareFull Scholars: A Model to Empower Black Women STEM Faculty at HBCUs

Black women survive and thrive in the academy at great cost to their professional and personal lives. As Black women, we hold a deep sense of guardianship over HBCUs; however, we also harbor profound concerns. We aspire that HBCUs remain exemplars of true diversity and inclusion in higher education; yet few spaces exist in which we can candidly express our apprehensions without concern for backlash against us or our beloved HBCUs. Ongoing acts of resilience by Black women in academia can be fatiguing and disempowering. Thus, a safe space is needed for Black women in STEM to rest, connect in deep relationality, and strategize for real transformation and liberation within HBCU systems and structures. Insights shared in this narrative offer valuable lessons for how Black women can lead differently in STEM, while simultaneously advancing undergraduate STEM educational reform, notably at HBCUs.