Explorations of Anti-Blackness and Wellness Through a Black Female Affinity Cohort Case Study Project

Abstract

This case study explored the experiences of 10 Black female faculty/professionals enrolled in a 5-month wellness project. The women engaged in critical discussions pertaining to working in predominately White settings, where structural inequities, institutional racism, and the lack of cultural awareness threaten their physical and emotional wellbeing. The women read Black feminist authors, shared their own stories, participated in professional development wellness webinars, and drew on an African-descent knowledge base. Wellness was defined as Alafia, an African-centered term meaning wellbeing. The findings showed that the project offered a space in which the women could trust in one another and heal. Their collective experiences gave them an ability to name what they were experiencing and offered a way to manage the threats pervading within predominately White environments.