Black Joy in White Spaces: Maintaining the Radical Power of Resistance by Dwayne Hamilton, Jr.

Black joy is a concept that has transcended generations and has evolved as the Black experience has grown more expansive. It evokes a deep and persistent sense of happiness that does not fade in the face of oppression and instead recognizes oppression as an experience that can be outweighed by an unwavering sense of pride in Blackness. Through prioritizing wellbeing, Black joy represents a force to resist and navigate inequitable educational systems rooted in whiteness. However, incorporating Black joy into higher education systems framed by white supremacy confines the development and expressions of Black joy to the limits of the system itself. Leadership for Liberation (Harper & Kezar, 2021) provides a framework that equips student leaders to resist interlocking systems of oppression that discourage them from imagining a just world. The following principles are guided by this theory and extend its original purpose to inform educators of their ability to shape educational environments that allow for the unapologetic development and expression of Black joy: 

1. Creating space for Black joy without challenging oppression is ineffective.

Educators must understand that promoting spaces for Black joy does not suffice as a remedy for individual and institutional actions to rectify oppression. The framework Liberation for Leadership emphasizes the importance of pragmatic utopianism, which acknowledges that, “transformative change can occur within our current social order and clears a utopian path made possible by our imperfect policies, practices, and institutions” (Harper & Kezar, 2021, p. 7). Institutional factors are often presented as barriers to advocating for change, but it is possible to work within those confines to enact meaningful change that corrects oppressive acts. Relying on the resilience of Black people places an undue burden on racially minoritized individuals that can be removed by those with social and institutional power.

• Black joy requires the active fight against oppression, not the absence of it.

Oppression is weaved into every facet of society and although it may not be eradicated in my lifetime, Black joy provides an act of resistance to the struggles I know will come. Nevertheless, simply accepting that oppression will always exist has no benefit when compared to actively working towards freedom. Harper and Kezar’s (2021) concept of collective liberation, which studies systems of oppression to reimagine a more equitable world, can be intersected with Black joy to incorporate both the resistance of Black identifying individuals as well as their co-conspirators. Those who identify as non-Black demonstrating their dedication to our freedom does not serve as the source of Black joy, but it can potentially provide relief for Black identifying individuals who depend on a system that continually values us for our labor. In their work towards liberation, non-Black people must analyze their own role in the oppression of Black students, faculty, and staff and always follow their lead.

• Efforts to increase Black joy rooted in institutional interests do not truly center joy.

When institutional gain is prioritized over empathy, Black joy is exploited as a tool for profit.  For example, when educators’ motives behind making room for Black joy are to increase productivity, recruit students, or other outcomes that benefits the institution as a business, these motives are off center. Instead, shifting the focus to empathy recenters creating an atmosphere conducive to Black joy for the betterment of Black identifying persons within that space. Empathy allows for the compassionate pursuit of others’ needs and it creates a crucial motive for change through the true awareness of others’ experiences (Harper & Kezar, 2021). With a focus on empathy, work productivity, recruitment, and retention will naturally increase as a byproduct of an environment that allows Black identifying people to be their most authentic Black selves.

The principles and cultural commitments of Leadership for Liberation (Harper & Kezar, 2021) provide practical applications that can ensure that Black joy’s recent conceptualization in education does not challenge its longstanding radical nature. As educators, it is imperative we investigate the role we play in safeguarding the original intentions of Black joy as it is introduced into White spaces. In the roles we play, how are we responsible for centering the voices of Black students, faculty, and staff while contending with oppression to make room for liberation? This internal reflection is paramount to entering a new educational era where Black joy no longer serves as a ruse to disguise unequitable environments grounded in white supremacy for the sake of institutional success.

About the Scholar

Dwayne Hamilton, Jr. is a first-year student in the Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education masters program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. As an emerging scholar-practitioner, his interests are centered around Blackness and its intersection with case and crisis management.

References

Harper, J., & Kezar, A. (2021). Leadership for liberation: A leadership framework and guide for student affairs professionals. USC Pullias Center for Higher Education.