At the Crossroads

Abstract

The proportion of women of color faculty members in academia is on the rise, and they are also more visible in higher education leadership. Yet, systemic sexism and racism, coupled with other forms of intersectional oppression, makes it difficult to advance to senior level administration. This chapter explores the lived experiences of academicians with intersecting identities and proposes a social ecological model to guide the development of effective interventions through social environments. Knowledge applied from personal inquiry, practical examples, and empirical evidence have resulted in important recommendations that are organized into five nested, hierarchical levels. These recommendations can help to improve diversity and inclusion efforts, and to achieve structural and systemic transformation across colleges and universities.