My Black Is TOO Precious to Crack!

Abstract

This chapter will explore the experiences of a Black, male, full-time, tenure-track faculty member at a community college. The chapter will delve into his experiences as a Black faculty in part-time (adjunct positions) and his current full-time tenure-track faculty position. There is no doubt that as a Black man in America, he is fighting two pandemics right now, that is, COVID-19 and racism, and this is top of mind for him as he frames this chapter. With a focus on race and gender, this chapter examines his challenges and successes as a Black man who teaches. Additionally, it shares the importance of protecting space and time as a Black academic to prevent burnout. Lastly, this chapter will provide strategies that would be helpful to Black academics and administration that can help one to cope with challenges before situations occur.