Black Don't Crack and Other Tales They Told Us with Dr. Daphne Watkins - a podcast by Cheryl-Lyn Bentley

We’ve all heard the expression “black don’t crack,” referring to Black women’s youthful appearance and ageless beauty. But underneath this beautiful exterior, Black women are aging much faster than their peers of other races. In today’s episode, Dr. Daphne Watkins, a Diversity and Social Transformation professor at the University of Michigan School of Social Work, chats about her experience as a young black female faculty member (who earned her PhD at age 24), and the stressors associated with her youthfulness, perceived youthfulness, and the facade of strength Black women often carry. We discuss the impact of stress on Black bodies and reconsider how we approach the concept of “black don’t crack” to embrace our vulnerabilities and humanity as Black women.

 

Find links and show notes at https://breakconcrete.com/bc034.

Topics Covered:

• Aging differences in melanated skin
• Dr. Watkins’ experience as a young Black doctoral student and faculty member 
• Stress associated with youthfulness and perceived youthfulness in the workplace 
• Changing the narrative around what leaders look like in academia 
• Defining weathering and biological aging in Black people 
• Stressors contributing to weathering/premature aging of Black bodies
• Stress associated with preserving a facade of strength
• Exploring reverse age discrimination in the workplace
• How employers can avoid age-related bias against younger workers
• Dr. Watkins’ research interests around the intersection of diversity and age

 

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Further episodes of Break Concrete: Black Women At Work

Further podcasts by Cheryl-Lyn Bentley

Website of Cheryl-Lyn Bentley