Ivory Tower - by Kimetta R Hairston & Tawannah G Allen (Paperback)

About the Book

Women of color in the academe often face the double-jeopardy of race and gender bias. The Ivory Tower features firsthand accounts of BIPOC women in academia in order to promote the recruitment, retention, and success of women of color in higher education institutions. Topics i...

Book Synopsis

The Ivory Tower: Perspectives of Women of Color in Higher Education highlights the voices of women of color in academia. When institutions ignore these voices by continuing to overlook the obstacles and experiences of women of color in higher education, they systematically derail their success. Hearing and understanding the firsthand accounts of women of color is a critical component in the recruitment, retention, and success of women of color. This book serves as the platform for allowing women of color to share their narratives. While it is important to acknowledge that women of color in the academe often face the double-jeopardy of race and gender bias, the chapter authors' personal experiences tout critical themes paramount for responding to these biases. As they rightfully take their place in higher education, these themes include establishing boundaries to promote socio-emotional preservation; recognizing the value of mentorship; becoming resilient during the journey; and acknowledging one's identity to be your authentic self.

Review Quotes

"The Ivory Tower: Perspectives of Women of Color in Higher Education creates needed space for Women of Color in the academy. This rich compilation of experiences is for us and about us and should be required reading for women considering careers in higher education." --Terri N. Watson, associate professor, School of Education, The City College of New York

"The Ivory Tower promises to challenge readers' ideas about the comforts and privileges of life in higher education. Writing, theorizing, and imagining from the intersections of race and gender, women of color scholars boldly give us permission to expose the hypocrisies of the academy. The collection of voices in this volume promises critique alongside visions of hope and reclamation. Reclaim, sisters!" --Venus E. Evans-Winters PhD, research and policy scholar, African American Policy Forum

"The Ivory Tower: Perspectives of Women of Color in Higher Education is essential reading for all in the academy. Women scholars of color can use these essays as mentor texts to guide how to navigate the academy. Administrators can use this collection as an impetus to actively work to recruit and retain women scholars of color and support their work through the tenure and promotion process. All in all, this collection of essays by junior and senior faculty of color will illuminate pathways to thrive in the academy." --Shanetia P. Clark PhD, chair, associate professor of literacy, Department of Early and Elementary Education, Salisbury University

About the Author

Kimetta R. Hairston, PhD, isthe associate vice president for regional centers and online programs at Bowie State University. She received her PhD in curriculum and instruction with an interdisciplinary certificate in diversity and disability studies from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She is an American Council on Education Fellow (2018-2019), mother, grandmother, and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Tawannah G. Allen, EdD, is an associate professor of educational leadership studies in the Stout School of Education at High Point University. Her research focuses on women in leadership and the educational experiences of youths of color in K-12 public schools. She has served as a district level K-12 administrator, is a licensed speech-language pathologist, and earned her doctorate of education in leadership studies at The University of North Carolina.