Invisible Silence: How Black Female Principals Engage in Self-Care in Rural Schooling Contexts

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session Seven
  In Roundtable Session: Forging the Future of Black Girls and Women in Leadership (Table 14)

Abstract

Self-care as a leadership practice is necessary to sustain the work, yet the experiences of Black women have been marginally explored. Furthermore, studies that investigate the lived experiences of Black women principals primarily focus on urban contexts. This paper engages Black Feminist Theory to explore how the leadership and self-care practices of Black Women Principals in rural secondary schooling contexts foster resiliency. This study supports the notion of self-preservation within the context of community, which influences the ways Black female principals take up care and care for others. This study calls attention to systemic barriers to self-care in schools and illuminates resistant strategies that allow Black women leaders in rural contexts to thrive.

Author

• Racquel L Armstrong, Arizona State University
  Presenting Author