Soulful Strides to Promotion & Tenure (Feb. 2024)
A Heart Healthy Black History Month
February is the month when we celebrate our history. It is a reminder of what we have accomplished and who we should pay homage to. Have you ever thought about the work our ancestors put into making things better for us? Or the work that you are doing to make things better for the next generation? I categorize our ancestors’ work as well as our work, as heart work. And heart work is in fact hard work. It requires emotional involvement, tenacity, sacrifice, purpose, and passion. In order to do this work, this heart work, we must keep ourselves healthy. I know there is much talk around self-care, but what about heart care - you know being heart healthy?
Black History month and American Heart Month share the month of February. And it is for good reason. Regardless of what industry you work in, being a Black woman in the United State of America takes a toll on our bodies and even moreso, our hearts. The daily stressors we endure from social systems, cultural norms, and power dynamics at work and at home impact our health – our heart health. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, and Black women are disproportionately affected by it.
The life of an academic can be stressful - especially as you are climbing the rungs of academic rank. The profession itself is counter to being heart healthy. From the time you begin the journey as an assistant professor to wherever you finish, the hamster wheel keeps moving, and we keep running regardless of our endurance and stamina level. It's no wonder we are always exhausted. Surprisingly, the exhaustion is not from any strenuous physical activity, it is literally from teaching, research, seeking grant funding, service, and promotion/tenure all at the same time. If we are honest, life in the academy leaves little room for physical activity, with the exception of walking from the car to the office, the office to the lab, and then from the office to the car. More often than not, we exercise our minds and not our bodies. But what good is a strong mind if the heart doesn’t work? And, if the heart doesn’t work, how can we continue to do heart work?
Earlier this month, I walked a 5K. No judgment. I walked 3.0 miles about 3 days per week to make sure I could finish in a time that was comfortable for me. Not only did I make history for myself (45 minutes and 17 secs), I walked the race my way and in my stride. But most importantly, I realized that I have to be heart healthy if I want to continue the heart work of broadening participation for Black women in STEM because a 5K is nothing compared to doing equity work!!
We are just one-and-a-half months into 2024 and some of you are still working on resolutions, goals, and the like. So, go ahead and add being heart healthy to the list. However, I want you to be specific. What will you do to ensure you are heart healthy in 2024 and beyond?
Celebrating Black history month has to be more than celebrating the past. We must begin thinking about and celebrating ourselves as a part of history. This means being intentional in our heart work and literally working at taking care of our hearts. See you at the next 5K!!
“Women in particular need to keep an eye on their physical and mental health, because if we’re scurrying to and from appointments and errands, we don’t have a lot of time to take care of ourselves. We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own ‘to do’ list.”