Black women doctoral students who have children and are enrolled full-time often suffer in the dark while committing their talents to the academy. We are some of the brightest, yet we can also be some of the most financially struggling.

The academic world can be a labyrinthine place, especially when trying to obtain a Ph.D. For people of color, the obstacles become even more difficult to surmount. A study from the National Center for Education Statistics demonstrates that black women only made up 4.4 percent of all doctoral degrees conferred between 2008 to 2009. In comparison, 53 percent of students pursuing doctoral degrees were white. The trend continues in weekly median income for people of color; specifically women. A 2013 study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics demonstrated a huge weekly median income gap between women of color and white women. Black women earned a dismal $606 per week to white women’s $722 . White men made the most money at $884 per week.

I have had the email address, madamepresident2b@*******.com, since 2006. At the time, I was a 32 year-old community college English instructor who was being mentored by the president of my college, an African-American male who saw leadership potential in me. With his encouragement, I began to aspire to the college presidency, and the email address was my way of affirming my long-term goal.

by Quanisha Smith

Is the Academy a place where Black Women can achieve social justice? I attended the 2nd Annual Black Doctoral Network Conference with this one question in mind. With the recent uprisings in Ferguson, MO, and the discussions surrounding street harassment, one could argue that the United Sates is at a critical moment of major social change. For more than seven years, I have participated in and I have organized grassroots movements on key social justice issues such as public education reform. I have trained and supported citizens from Black and economically disadvantaged communities to share their lived experiences and mobilize for policies that aid their communities. However, I am dissatisfied. I yearn for public attention to issues impacting Black women and girls. Unfortunately, I’ve seen little national or regional focus on our plights. I question how we can promote the importance of our lives.