The Hidden Cost of Transforming Schools: A Black Educator's Story of Burnout and Resilience
Introduction: The Price of Pursuing Radical Change
In education, the pursuit of radical possibility often comes with a heavy toll—one that disproportionately falls on Black women educators and leaders. This article explores the personal journey of a DEI director who discovered that transforming schools into spaces of justice and joy can exact a devastating price on mental health, and what that means for the broader movement toward equitable education.
The Vision of Radical Possibility in Schools
Many educators enter the field hoping to create classrooms that honor every student's humanity. For Black educators, this vision often includes a deep commitment to freedom-dreaming—imagining and building educational environments where Black youth can thrive beyond survival. This work involves using literature that reflects students' identities, celebrating radical Black joy, and dismantling discriminatory policies such as those targeting natural hair textures in schools.
At a preK-8 Catholic Montessori school in Cincinnati, one director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI) pursued these goals through a strategic plan that embraced inclusive practices. The work was collaborative, mission-driven, and deeply meaningful—but it also demanded a relentless output of emotional and physical labor.
The Toll on Mental Health: Burnout Among Black Women Leaders
The price of bringing radical possibility to life became painfully clear when the director realized she hadn't taken a full week off from work in three years. Despite accolades and awards celebrating her accomplishments, she woke up one day feeling disconnected, mourning the misalignment between her values and the systems she tried to transform. The same systems designed to resist change at every turn left her exhausted.
This experience is not unique. Black women in education and leadership often ignore signs of burnout until it is too late. They pour themselves into their work, only to find that the very structures they seek to change are draining their mental health and, in some cases, their will to live. The director's story echoes a broader crisis: when the pursuit of justice becomes a full-time, unpaid emotional labor, the toll can be devastating.
The Power of Radical Joy—and Its Limits
In earlier essays, the director explored the emancipatory power of radical Black joy and the freedom-dreaming found in Black literature. These concepts are vital for creating counterspaces where students can thrive. Yet, as she discovered, joy in the midst of systemic oppression can be a double-edged sword. It sustains the spirit but can also mask the depth of exhaustion. The work of DEI requires constant vigilance, advocacy, and emotional availability—all while navigating environments that may not fully support the mission.
Lessons from Personal Experience: The Need for Sustainable Activism
The director's journey offers critical lessons for anyone committed to educational transformation:
- Recognize the warning signs early. Chronic fatigue, loss of passion, and a desire to sleep rather than engage with life are red flags that burnout has set in.
- Prioritize rest as resistance. Taking time off is not a luxury—it is essential for long-term effectiveness in justice work.
- Build community and support networks. Coaching and peer support among Black women leaders can provide a space for healing and accountability.
- Understand that systemic change is slow. Setting realistic expectations and celebrating incremental wins can help sustain motivation.
The director's reflection on her own lineage—her father who left school, her mother pushed out, and generations before who endured inferior education—reminds us that the fight for educational equity is intergenerational. Quitting, as musician Olu Dara suggested to his son Nas, can be an act of survival. But for those who stay, the cost must be acknowledged and managed.
Moving Forward: Redefining Radical Possibility
The path forward requires a redefinition of what it means to build radical spaces in schools. Sustainability must be at the core of the work. That means institutions must share the burden—providing adequate resources, time, and mental health support for DEI leaders. It also means that educators must give themselves permission to step back when needed, understanding that self-preservation is not a retreat from the mission but a necessary part of it.
The director's story is a call to action: to create schools where both students and the adults who serve them can experience genuine possibility—without sacrificing their well-being. Only then can the promise of radical transformation be fully realized.
Note: This article draws on themes from a Voices of Change Fellowship series that examined Black literature, radical joy, discriminatory school policies, and DEI strategic planning.