ABSTRACT
Navigating the landscape of higher education can be a challenging task for all students. However, this becomes increasingly more difficult for students with multiple marginalized identities, such as women of color. Some of these difficulties are shared in this chapter when the author, a Black and Latina PhD candidate, shares her experiences navigating the gendered and racially hostile environment of a historically White institution. She begins by describing the need she felt to “perform” for her White professors and classmates in order to be accepted, something she referred to as, “shuckin' and jivin'.” Next, she explains the negative mental, emotional, and physical consequences she experienced as a result of her performance. Lastly, she shares the lessons she learned and offers advice for other women of color in predominantly White spaces.
