Black Women are not OK: Dr. Mary “MJ” McConner and Dr. Leah P. Hollis

Black Women in the Academy are not OK. Following Dr. Claudine Gay’s resignation from her short term as President at Harvard University, we came to find out that she had received ongoing threats to her safety including death threats. On January 8, 2024, Lincoln University’s Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Antoinette "Bonnie" Candia-Bailey, took her life after seeking assistance from her employer. Lincoln University is an HBCU, and was Dr. Candia-Bailey alma mater - a place that should have been safe, but it wasn’t. The attacks on Dr. Gay and Dr. Candia-Bailey is further evidence of what Black Women in the Academy are well aware of. The world of Academia is not a safe one for black women.

This episode features two experts on this topic, women with both research and lived experiences who can point to specific issues and calls to action as it relates to toxicity and bullying on campus and how it is impacting minoritized communities in the academy. Dr. Mary “MJ” McConner and Dr. Leah P. Hollis join Dr. De Veau for this important conversation.

Bio for Dr. Mary “MJ” McConner: https://www.ieconsultingfirm.com/team/ceo Find/Follow MJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-mcconner/

Bio for Dr. Leah P. Hollis: https://www.psu.edu/news/education/story/college-education-names-hollis-associate-dean-access-equity-inclusion/ Find/Follow Leah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciaberklyllc/ Purchase Her Book, “Bully in the Ivory Tower” https://www.amazon.com/Bully-Ivory-Tower-Aggression-Incivility/dp/0988478226

“But Some of Us are Brave” https://www.feministpress.org/books-a-m/but-some

Dr. Jennifer Freyed, University of Oregon, Center for Institutional Courage. https://www.institutionalcourage.org/

Office Hours with Dr. De Veau is a podcast designed for the Higher Education community by a Higher Education professional. It is produced by David Yas and Pod617 studios. Dr. Laura De Veau is Principal & Founder of Fortify Associates, LLC. If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to subscribe to Dr. De Veau’s Substack Newsletter, “What’s Up in the Academy?” and follow her on Social Media. https://linktr.ee/deveautrain