Normal Wasn’t Good: A Collaborative Autoethnography of the Intersectional Experiences of Academic Women of Color Mothering During the Dual Pandemics

Research has shown that women within academia, particularly mothers, continue to endure challenges in their workplaces. For Women of Color (WOC) who are mothers, these demands are exacerbated when there are expectations to take on additional responsibilities related to antiracist practices. This article centers on the experiences of three WOC who are tenure-earning mothers in academia during two ongoing pandemics: COVID-19 and racial injustice. Informed by intersectionality and ecological theory, the following research question is addressed: What were the experiences of WOC who are mothers working in academia during the dual pandemics? A collaborative autoethnography was used to interpret the perspectives, assumptions, and subjectivity of multiple experiences to expand the understanding of this social phenomenon. The authors responded to journal prompts about defining moments during the dual pandemics as tenure-earning mothers of color. Four themes emerged: normal was not good, shifts are necessary, the personal is political, and moments of joy. Recommendations are provided for policies and strategies that social work programs can implement to support tenure-earning women of color who are mothers. Centering our experiences as a site of inquiry opens possibilities of what critical social work and critical feminisms can be in the future.