My First Year in Academia <i>or</i> the Mythical Black Woman Superhero Takes on the Ivory Tower

Abstract

In this autoethnographic article, I explore my experiences as an early career Academic of Color. Drawing on previous theoretical constructions such as the Strong Black Woman schema (SBW), I present these experiences through the lens of DC Comics’ Vixen, a Black female superhero. This research highlights systemic disparities in the treatment of women Faculty of Color and offers suggestions for navigating these challenges.