Black facilitators’ resistance to white supremacy culture in antiracist professional development

Purpose This study explores how facilitators of antiracist professional development (PD) navigate and resist the pervasive influence of “white supremacy culture” within school settings. Specifically, it examines the guiding beliefs, pedagogical stances and personal convictions of two Black women facilitators. The inquiry seeks to understand how these practitioners sustain deep antiracist work despite the structural resistance and emotional volatility often encountered in educational spaces. By centering their lived experiences and professional strategies, the paper aims to provide a framework for facilitating racial justice work that moves beyond surface-level compliance toward meaningful, sustained transformation in teacher practice. Design/methodology/approach The researchers used a qualitative comparative case study model, drawing on six semi-structured interviews (60–75 min each) with two experienced Black facilitators. This approach used horizontal, vertical and transversal comparisons to analyze the influence of macro-level white supremacy on micro-level individual experiences. The data was part of a broader study involving 28 participants, including teachers and school leaders. Analysis followed an emergent, process-oriented coding scheme guided by Black feminist frameworks and Okun’s dimensions of white supremacy culture. The study prioritized a pluriversal perspective, emphasizing the unique reflexivity of the practitioners rather than seeking a universal master narrative. Findings Analysis reveals that the facilitators resisted white supremacy culture by adopting three specific pedagogical stances: emphasizing truth over fear of conflict, prioritizing process over urgency and valuing collectivity over individualism. Unlike other facilitators in the broader study who reported burnout or withdrawal due to teacher resistance, these two practitioners maintained reflective distance by situating individual pushback within broader structural contexts. Their effectiveness was rooted in a Black feminist ethic, allowing them to invite educators into deep self-reflection while remaining grounded in personal and historical truths, thereby making the taxing labor of antiracist facilitation more sustainable. Research limitations/implications This study suggests that the field of teacher education must move beyond analyzing what is taught in antiracist PD to how it is facilitated. It highlights the necessity of using critical theoretical frameworks, such as Black feminism, to understand the labor of Practitioners of Color. Future research should include longitudinal participant observations to see how these pedagogical stances translate into classroom changes. In addition, there is a stated need for research into how white educators can engage in similar resistance without heroifying their roles or defaulting to the labor of Women of Color, ensuring the burden of systemic change is shared. Practical implications For school leaders and equity teams, these findings suggest that antiracist PD cannot be rushed; it requires intentional slowness and a move away from the sense of urgency that often characterizes administrative initiatives. Schools should design PD models that institutionalize support for facilitators, providing them with the trust and reflective space necessary to navigate inevitable conflicts. The study emphasizes that practitioners of any race can adopt these intentional pedagogical stances – prioritizing collective support and honest dialogue – to help teachers move past defensive emotional reactions and toward a more sustained, authentic antiracist practice. Social implications At a time when diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives face significant political challenges and federal threats, this research underscores the social necessity of protecting spaces for racial justice. By disrupting the whiteness in educational settings, these facilitation practices aim to improve the lived experiences of students, particularly those marginalized by systemic racism. The study advocates for community-driven PD models that honor the ways of knowing of Black women, suggesting that social transformation in schools is dependent on the ability of the institution to support those who challenge the status quo. Originality/value This paper contributes to the literature by centering the specific, nuanced labor of Black women facilitators. It offers a unique compass for navigating white supremacy culture through a comparative case study that bridges theory and practice. By identifying specific dimensions of resistance (collectivity, process and truth-telling), the study provides a concrete pedagogical framework for sustaining work that many find too difficult to maintain. Its value lies in its reflexivity and its refusal to simplify the complex, often messy reality of antiracist transformation.