Black woman fatigue: Workforce stories shared by Wisconsin’s Black women early educators

This study employs the theoretical frameworks of Critical Race Theory (CRT), Intersectionality and Racial Battle Fatigue (RBF) to examine the lived experiences of Black women early educators in Wisconsin. Using qualitative methods – including in-depth interviews and thematic analysis – the research highlights how race, gender, class and systemic inequities intersect to shape their professional trajectories and personal well-being. The findings reveal how Black women early educators experience persistent structural barriers, such as, poverty wages, high work demands, cultural isolation and racialized licensing encounters. Participants described their encounters with microaggressions and excessive emotional labor as contributing to racial battle fatigue, while also highlighting the strategies of resilience and resistance they employ while navigating systemic challenges. While rooted in the U.S., the study’s findings reflect global patterns in which Black women early educators are devalued and overburdened in early education structures. By amplifying the voices of Black women early educators in Wisconsin, this study contributes to a global discourse on racial and gender equity in care work and early education. The insights offered underscore the need for culturally responsive policies and transnational coalitions that affirm the leadership, commitment, experiential knowledge and well-being of Black women early educators worldwide.