It’s the start of 2024 (a new year) and while I do not necessarily believe in resolutions, I do believe in setting goals and intentions. My goals for this year are to continue to work hard but also REST and PLAY just as hard as I work.

During my last therapy session of 2023, my therapist pulled my card again: what is my relationship with work? In a capitalist system, how do I protect my health and sanity so that I can do my best work? What does it mean to focus on working in environments that respect and support my talents? Like, REALLY respect me as a Black woman? Not tokenize me or ask me to stifle my voice and self respect for the “greater good?”

As I ponder these hard questions, I am still processing the news of Claudine Gay’s resignation from one of the most elite institutions of higher education in the world. The first Black woman to ever be president there, Gay barely made is 6 months in the role. While op-eds and think pieces continue to roll out asking the why and how of this incident, I know the reasoning behind it well. Again, when does it want to work in an environment as a Black woman, especially in environments built to keep us out? It seems Gay chose her self-respect over a job, and I am proud see it.

In the words of the late, great Aretha Franklin, RESPECT me, cuz what you want, baby I GOT IT. I will think of this all year, and I hope many of my fellow Black women/femmes/folks in academia will do the same. Because we deserve.