Breaching the Walls of Academe: The Case of Five Afro-Caribbean Women in Higher Education

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 28
  In Roundtable Session: Leadership, Privilege, and Women of Color

Abstract

There is no doubt that Caribbean women constitute the majority of black immigration to the United States-(US) (Reddock, 1991; Deux et al., 2007). However, studies of women of color in the US, do not focus exclusively on immigrant women faculty. This exploratory study examined the experiences of five Afro-Caribbean women who sought to thrive in an environment that was fraught with racism, sexism, and identity politics. Their lived experiences provide a significant commentary on the challenges and opportunities of being an Afro-Caribbean woman in the US context of higher education.

Authors

• Talia Randa Esnard, The University of the West Indies - St. Augustine

• Deirdre Cobb-Roberts, University of South Florida