Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Leadership & professional development: Running a race for us all to win

2022; Wiley; Volume: 17; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/jhm.2691

1553-5606

LaShyra Nolen, Kimberly D. Manning, Jasmine R. Marcelin,

Mentoring and Academic Development

“If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”—Toni Morrison “How do you do it all?” These are words constantly asked of the Black Woman in Medicine. Many look to her as the de facto mother/sister, mentor, sponsor, coach, and therapist for every student, resident, fellow, and faculty from minoritized communities. She is the default “Black voice” on the committees. Her face is on the recruiting materials but often absent come time for promotion. In 2020 after the murder of George Floyd she was tasked with reforming curricula but scolded for introducing antiracism.1 When they ask her “How do you do it all?”, the answer to the question is simple: She must because the fate of her career and community depends upon it. This is a love letter to Black Women in Medicine, written by Black Women in Medicine. Everyone can and should read it, and while we recognize the struggles of other minoritized groups in medicine who may see themselves and their experiences in this letter, allow us to center specifically on us. To our queer Black Women, Black Women with disabilities, and Black women with other intersecting marginalized identities, we know your struggles are uniquely amplified, and we wrote this for you, too. We rise bravely above hurdles and surpass expectations daily with confidence and grace, but sustaining this is predicated on our ability to preserve self as means to preserve those we serve. So how do we navigate the exhaustion and activism fatigue that comes from being #BlackInTheIvory?2 Rooting ourselves in purpose, advancement of our historically excluded community, and the sacrifices of our ancestors is a start. Reflection, self-care, and restorative rest are key components to protecting our energy and will guide us as we prioritize which commitments are life-giving and life-depleting as we continue our work. We cannot do it alone; we must nurture an infrastructure of support for ourselves. When we are the first and/or the only, the battle uphill can seem like a solitary one, but we can reject that notion by leaning on the relationships and people that have helped us to arrive at this point in our lives. Our village nourishes us: sisters, brothers, allies, and coconspirators, will help us stay grounded in our mission and support us as we walk away from commitments and situations that no longer serve our purpose. We must keep a list of non-negotiables and commit to honoring them. If a commitment does not align with our “why” or interferes with one of our nonnegotiables, we must remember it is okay to walk away. Overcommitment can precipitate poor performance. Therefore, we must permit ourselves to offer a wholehearted “no” when our plate has no more room, so that we keep space to feed ourselves. Those who are underrepresented in medicine are an integral, yet often silent, part of the motor that propels the vehicle of medicine. We love, serve, and heal from a place of deep commitment that often goes unrecognized. Despite these challenges, we continue to find the strength to rise every day, as our ancestors did. As we prepare for the next grant application, board meeting, or committee, may we be reminded we are seen and appreciated by our community. Let us remember that we can do it all, but we do not have to, and we do not have to do it alone. From this moment we can trust ourselves enough to define “all” on our own terms—and together we can continue to build the pipeline for others to stay in the race with us. The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.