Navigating Black Joy for Black Women Leaders is a profound, necessary voice in this particular time of history in our country, where there are many attempts to erase both the voices and the presence of people of color, in particular, us as professional Black/African- American women. Persistently, in our various professional roles and kaleidoscopes of experiences, it is communicated to us in countless ways that we are “other”; that we do not “belong”; that we are somehow, “less than”, and yet, although playing by the rules, our achievements remain devalued. Examples of these experiences exist as it is expressed that our educational and professional credentials that we have earned remain not good enough, or that we possess them by some other means beyond having earned them. The constant bombardment of condemnation and devaluation of our beauty, our intelligence, our voices, our humanity, and our dignity can become and is heavy upon our spirits and our immune systems. We are continually being underestimated, hidden in offices doing work less than our skill sets, underpaid, and experiencing the “weathering of racism” at new heights, if we are able to remain in these spaces at all; for the new “firing” is by exclusion from work that we once led and/or created, with attention paid more to our professional attire and one’s “pretty pink shoes”. Yet, when we are engaged in the workplace, at home, or at sorority meetings, we still smile, we still serve our communities, we still advocate, and we still exist. This book will provide to those of us who are withstanding these storms and “smiling,” a well- deserved validation, and the opportunity to be respected, appreciated, and seen as the powerful, intelligent, and joyful people that we are. And to those of us who may be “struggling,” this book will provide the strength and the recipe to remain connected, to remain strong, and to “joyfully smile.” And finally, this book will remind all of us that joy is a gift and a personal choice that comes from God Almighty and faith, therefore, joy cannot be taken away from any one of us by any person, but instead, serves as an instrument that moves us collectively and individually, from surviving to thriving.

Ursula C. Thomas is Professor of Education at Georgia State University, USA, and a nationally recognized educator, scholar, and leader whose work focuses on advancing equity, inclusion, and excellence in education.

Foreword; Noelle W. Arnold
Chapter 1. The Formation of Black Joy: Veins and Deposits; Ursula C. Thomas
Section 1. Joy Rooted in Resistance
Chapter 2. She of Many Breasts-Blessed; Robyn Brown-Manning, Patricia Gray, and Felecia Pullen
Chapter 3. Rooted in Faith, Flourishing in Culture: Joy as Sacred Resistance in the African-Caribbean Diaspora; Karen Harris Brown
Chapter 4. Four Years for a Lifetime of Joy; Laina Lockett, Landas Lockett, Ta Misha Bascombe, and Vanessa Edwards
Chapter 5. Breaking Dawn: Finding Joy Amongst the Noise; Cherie Crosby-Weeks
Chapter 6. Joy as Resistance: Cultivating Mental Health and Well-Being Among Black Women Through Self-Care and Community Support; Jacqueline Goodwater
Chapter 7. Joyful Marooning: Refusals in Unethical Times; Renée Nichole Ferguson
Section 2. Joy Rooted in Resilience
Chapter 8. Joy; Alda M. Blakeney-Wright
Chapter 9. (Re)Claiming Our Joy: Uses of the Love Ethic for Joy-Centred Pedagogy; Kamilah Clayton and Karen Arthurton
Chapter 10. Reclaiming Joy: Black Widowhood as Resistance and Healing; Valora M. Richardson
Chapter 11. The Weapons of Her Warfare: Equipment for Spiritual Wellness in Academic Professionals; Demetria Lambert
Chapter 12. Anchored in Faith: Cultivating Spiritual Joy and Resilience in Inhospitable Spaces; Tonya Clarke and Natalie Parker-Holliman
Chapter 13. Sweet, Beautiful, Soul Saving Joy in the Advocacy for Our Daughters; Natalie Parker-Holliman and Tonya Clark
Section 3. Joy Rooted in Rest
Chapter 14. A Rare and Precious Gift; Stefanie C. Baker and Khalilah T. Doss
Chapter 15. Joyful Resistance: Relationships, Travel, and Well-Being for Black Women in Academia; Kanita DuCloux Stephens
Chapter 16. Finding Multiple Streams of Joy in Academia and Beyond; Romney S. Norwood
Chapter 17. Joy as Solidarity and Healing: Self-care Practices and Community Support; Stephanie Power-Carter, Amanda Clark, Ming Tate, and Camille R. Quinn
Chapter 18. Black Women Leadership: The Love and Relationships That Keep Them Grounded; Nikki Harris
Chapter 19. Still I Rise: Defining Success, Finding Balance, and Living in My Own Joy; Stephanie E. Blake
Chapter 20. Spiritual Joy: Faith, Spiritual Practices, and Rituals of Celebration; Susan H. Buckson Ephraim
Chapter 21. The Power of Self-Care; Anika Nicole Harris
Chapter 22. Interview with Tiney Crosby; Ursula C. Thomas