Dear Higher Education: Letters from the Social Justice Mountain

Dear Higher Education, The Mountain Was Never Neutral: On Black Womanhood and the Invisible Labor of Belonging

Katrina Calhoun

UMass Amherst

Abstract

This letter examines the structural forces that isolate Black women in higher education, particularly in senior leadership and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) roles. It also contributes to the theme of why we come to the mountain to share our experiences, especially during these trying times. Situating recent leadership exits within a broader socio-political backlash against equity initiatives, it argues that the marginalization and attrition of Black women reflect systemic barriers rather than individual inadequacy. Drawing on scholarship related to tokenism, racial battle fatigue, and controlling images such as the mammy, this letter analyzes how institutions extract disproportionate emotional, relational, and diversity labor from Black women while simultaneously questioning their legitimacy and expertise. It extends existing literature on Black women in leadership by examining contemporary sociopolitical factors in the academy, where Black women provide extensive formal and informal care to both white colleagues and students of color navigating racialized campus climates. This dual and often unrecognized labor intensifies isolation, accelerates burnout, and constrains advancement. The letter concludes by calling for structural reform, including equitable evaluation practices, formalized mentorship and sponsorship, leadership accountability, and culturally responsive wellness resources, urging institutions to align their operational practices with their stated commitments to justice, equity, and inclusion.