Leading well: a multi-modal model to center black women principals' personal and professional wellness practices in Detroit

Purpose This study addresses the neglect of Black women principals' wellness in educational leadership research, as they navigate systemic racism, misogynoir, and cultural expectations of self-sacrifice following the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach Employing a multimodal qualitative design grounded in Critical Race Theory, intersectionality, and Black Feminist Thought, this study examines ten Black women principals participating in Detroit's Leading Well professional learning community over three years. Findings Principals described experiencing self-sacrifice and superwoman syndrome that depleted their leadership capacity. The Leading Well professional learning community facilitated participants' recognition of how excessive work habits perpetuated self-oppression and dishonored their ancestors. Through collective support, principals claimed their full humanity, establishing boundaries and choosing rest, play, and balance alongside their professional commitments. Originality/value This work uses critical frames to examine wellness as political resistance, offering a replicable model for centering Black women's wellness in educational leadership while demonstrating that fugitive spaces within institutions can support transformative practice.