Realizing Aspirations, Career Growth, and Advancement During Moments of Retrenchment

• In Event: Navigating the Politics of Retrenchment in Higher Education: Four Senior Scholars Reflect B(l)ack

Abstract

Drawing from Crenshaw’s arguments on anti-discrimination law, particularly what is problematic about colorblindness and equal process, the third presenter will reflect on lessons learned (thus far) and implications for career growth and advancement during moments of retrenchment. Because antidiscrimination law contains views of eradicating structural oppression and views of merely preventing “wrongdoing,” equal opportunity can be either or, which has resulted in the lack of a serious commitment to abolish racial inequities (Crenshaw, 1988). Nikole Hannah-Jones (2024) articulated this dilemma as the “colorblindness trap,” indicating that we have not figured out what to do about the fact that as a nation, we created race (a social construct) and used it to force people of African descent into slavery, treating people as property (not as human beings) for 246 years. Further, when enslaved people were freed, they were released into society and expected to navigate with no consideration of their past experiences that included the violent, inhumane, traumatic conditions that were forced upon them. The Freedmen's Bureau provided some assistance to freed enslaved people for less than 10 years before it was discontinued in 1872 due to limited funding and widespread public opinion dismissing the violent, inhumane conditions forced upon enslaved people. It was not until 1964 when legislation was signed to outlaw discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in public accommodations, employment, and federal programs. Moreover, since then, there has been a movement to overturn civil rights playing on the ambiguity embedded within – equality as a result (end racial inequality) or as a process (stop wrongdoings). This paper will invite us to reflect on the importance of context in this period of retrenchment and what can be learned from leading, learning, and strategizing towards advancement using humanizing values, such as care, love, critical hope, solidarity and collectivity.

Author

• Joy Gaston Gayles, North Carolina State University