The Peer Review Process. Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in a conversation on the Clubhouse app where the topic was on the peer review process. The organizers of the session were from diverse academic backgrounds including education and artificial intelligence (AI). Also, participants in the Clubhouse room were from different disciplines such as the biological sciences, engineering, cultural studies, etc. And, of course, consistent with the Clubhouse community, the room was packed with people from all over the world which was really cool! The gatherers spent nearly two hours questioning the peer review process. (My video is shorter!)

Judging from avatars (or profile pics) and people's voices, participants were also representative of diverse racial, ethnic, linguistic, and cultural groups. Nevertheless, I listened to students and tenure-track professors raise questions and comment on the state of the peer review process. For the most part, the session might've been described as an informational session on the peer review process, but some of us who are more familiar with the peer review and publication process might've described it as a venting session. I am going to place the tone of the conversation into two categories:

1. The review process is unfair or bias; and
   
2. There is a lack of transparency of what actually is involved in the peer review process. 

What is the problem with the peer review process? Honestly, I am grateful that the organizers of the Clubhouse room decided to host the discussion. I learned a lot as a research scholar and a person invested in the peer review process. What did I learn as an insider/outsider? What were some sentiments expressed? I would say that much of the sentiments from the conveners and participants (or those making comments and asking questions) were that certain disciplines are harsher in criticism, bias toward so-called newcomers, and/or scientists who present novice ideas are automatically rejected for those ideas. Also, some people seemed to believe that the peer review process itself lacked organization and consistency across organizations.  I personally learned that many people are not really aware of the purpose of the peer review process and that there is a lack of trust in the process.

Is the peer review process intimidating for scholars? In some cases, I could also sense a feeling of intimidation or worry about the expectation to participate in the peer review process. Eventually, I did raise my hand to "go on stage" to attempt to provide some insight into the peer review process from two perspectives: as a Black woman scholar and someone who has extensive experience serving behind the scenes in a variety of capacities in the peer review process (e.g. Associate Editor, Series Editor, Review Board, author, conference chair, etc.). I am not sure that I am ready to state unequivocally that there is a lack of transparency in the peer review process, but I do believe that there is a lack of knowledge of the peer review process, which could be related to issues of equity and access. With that said, I created a video to demystify the peer review process. We all can benefit from knowing what the peer review process entails!

Tips for navigating the peer review process. Take notes! After viewing the video on YouTube (and please subscribe so I can continue to make such content free and accessible), be sure to take a look at the list of tips under the video that I provide for graduate students, new authors, and tenure track faculty for navigating the peer review process.
​Finally, check out my book, "Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry: A Mosaic for Writing Our Daughter's Body" for a straight-forward discussion on bias in the academic/scientific research process itself! ?

Please leave comments here (below) or on Youtube, if you have more questions about the peer review process. 

In the struggle for our humanity,

​Dr. V

Dozens of parents have asked me about homeschooling. I am honestly back on the fence. Not about homeschooling itself, but about how to homeschool. There are different models of homeschooling and each model can be beneficial depending on the child's and parents' needs. No school system or homeschool curriculum is perfect!

​Here are my biggest observations and takeaways (I speak as a mother of 2, Professor, a clinician, and someone who has taught outside of the U.S. in African schools):

1. Many homeschool models are reflective of traditional schooling such as 8am starts and 3pm end times, and math, science, and reading. Other programs are simply "supports" for parents. For me, I loved the shutdown of schools or social distancing from whiteness. I didn't like how school made my child a zombie. I love that she is sleeping in and waking up vibrant, energetic, and is a social being again (she works out with her dad at 4:30am/5am); and she is no longer expected to be a miniature adult attempting to avoid fights with adults or other students.
I'm not in support of homeschool programs that go from 8-3pm. I do not believe a child's brain needs to be guided by adults via technology for 6 hours out of the day. Go read! Sit in the sun! Talk to other people! Color! Draw! Or, just be! (But, no t.v. or too much social media lol). I did find one program whose motto was no more than 4 hours a day of online learning.

2. Some homeschool sites' online presence is "clunky" and/or doesn't provide enough information for parents to make an informed decision. Second, most parents are not experts on homeschooling. An organization's or businesses' online resources should be streamlined and transparent. What are you asking of us? Our children? What are your prices? What is the curriculum?
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3. Some homeschool programs center culture (e.g. everything from cooking to travel to Africa courses!), but may lack what I might think is an essential skill such as a foreign language (e.g. Spanish or Swahili). Finally, culture should be at the center of all education. Period. But, we have to be careful of throwing everything in the "pot", because it looks and feels good to adults. For example, the number one language spoken by Africans is Swahili (outside of Africa is Spanish!). Shouldn't Black children be learning one or both of these languages? With that said, how do parents choose a curriculum that infuses culture and practicality?
Okay, this post is now too long!

In the struggle for our humanity,

Dr. V
​"Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach."

The Mindfulness Writer. In my most recent single-authored book, "Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry: A Mosaic for Writing Our Daughter's Body", it is more than apparent to any practitioner of mindfulness that this indigenous practice has become a part of my writing process, consciously and subconsciously. I began practicing mindfulness over 10 years ago, when I read the book, "The Power of Now", on a flight to South Africa. At that time, mindfulness was more of an intellectual engagement for me. It simply meant being present and aware in every interaction and moment.

Mindfulness Writing as Ritual Work. Since then, mindfulness has become more of an emotional and spiritual journey for me. As a mindfulness meditation practitioner, mindfulness has created opportunities for me to really see others while truly feeling myself (okay, that sounds weird when I read it, but oh well). In fact, in Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry (or BFQI) non-practitioners intuitively pick up on ritualistic tendencies in the book. Many readers have even been moved by my written descriptions of mindfulness in the book, and thoughtfully, reached out to me and asked questions about my mindfulness and meditation practices. So, I did what any cultural worker would do...I created "fieldnotes" (a term borrowed from my book) on my podcast that are dedicated to explaining the process of mindfulness writing. 

Mindfulness Meditation in Writing. The latest podcast series of, "Writing What I Like: Fieldnotes of Black Woman Scholar", addresses mindfulness and meditation in the writing process; the role of writing as a positive coping mechanism; and mindfulness writing as a therapeutic tool. A few questions that I would like for the listener to leave the podcast with are: What is the role of mindfulness writing in processes of resilience and resistance for subjugated people? How might mindfulness help individuals and communities cope with negative emotions? How might mindfulness writing help researchers and other writers contemplate their observations and interpretations of people, social context, and systems of power? How does one approach their own writing process---emotionally and spiritually? Is writing an emotional or spiritual process?

Anyhow, I hope that everyone enjoys listening to my fieldnotes on the podcast and take a moment to leave a comment below, subscribe to the podcast, or email me with further ideas or suggestions for better mindfulness writing or future podcasts. You can find the book, my latest book, "Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry" on Amazon.com. 

❣

Peace,

Dr. V 

"Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach."

Yup, that's me, Dr. V, discussing racial trauma at a Midwestern university for Black History Month (#365)!!!

“When will I find the time to write?”

“I do not know what to write.”

“I have a story in me, but I’m just not a good writer.”

“I know my friends and family will not take me serious as an author.”

If you've read this far, be honest, you've imagined yourself as a writer or even a published author. You simply have not found the time, motivation, or courage to write your truths. 

I am looking for social workers, psychologists, K-12 educators, and other helping professionals of color. Yes, you!!

You,  like many people, hold myths in your head about who is a writer and who should be an author. My goal is to teach everyday people, especially practitioners of color, how to "write like a scholar" so you can write for presentation or publication; and live your dream of educating, inspiring, healing or liberating yourself or others. 

Or, are you interested in writing for professional impact or to acquire that dream job? Whatever your reason for having the urge of "becoming" (shouts out to Michelle Obama!!) a dedicated writer or published author.......as a scholar, author, speaker, and therapist, I want to teach busy or unmotivated professionals how to “think and act” like a writer with a purpose!!!

So, here's my invitation: If you've been wanting to #WriteLikeAScholar for presentation or publication, but been holding back due to fear or not knowing how to get started, contact a sistah to learn about my writing course that opens in May: http://bit.ly/venusevanswinters
 
💖💜❣

Peace,

Dr. V 

"Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach."

The political is personal!!!  #writelikeascholar #therevolutionwillbewritten #BFQI

On its official release date, February 22nd, 2019, my new book, Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry: A Mosaic for Writing Our Daughter's Body, came in at #1 in 4 categories on Amazon. ​What an amazing week!

​The first week success of ​"Black feminism in qualitative inquiry" demonstrates that the world yearns for more scholarship on Black women's theorizing.
​
What can readers expect from this book:
​

• Conversations on the histories and futures of Black feminism(s)
• Calls for the decolonization of methodologies
• Centering Black girls' and women's ways of knowing and engagement of the social world
• Stories and narrations grounded in a Black onto-epistemology
• Theoretical leanings positioned in Afro-centrism and Pan Africanism​​

​If I might say so myself, in this book, I definitely showed up as a courageous cultural worker!!! The ancestors are proud.

​You may find the text, "Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry: A Mosaic for Writing Our Daughter's Body" on Amazon in paperback and Kindle Edition or here. 

Every Black girl, Black woman, Black child, Black family, and Black community that I ever came in contact with were my inspiration for engaging in truth-telling as a methodological imprint. 

Are you enjoying reading the book? Leave your comments below or on Amazon​.

In the struggle for our humanity,

Dr. Venus E. Evans-Winters
"Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach."
​

​Sometimes we forget to SAY THE NAME of our Black women artists whom have been muses to our souls as their lyrics played in the background whilst we crafted our own life stories. One such artist is the almighty Queen Lauryn Hill. 

As Black girls were navigating the unforgiving terrain of adolescence, Lauryn Hill was reaching out to save our lives. Beyond adolescence, she helped so many Black young women survive a world that bastardizes Black femininity and exploits Black girlhood. In the 300 plus page book, "Celebrating Twenty Years of Black Girlhood: The Lauryn Hill Reader", authors showcase Lauryn Hill not only as lyrical genius, but they also demonstrate how Hill raised our racial and gender consciousness. ​Every lyric, outfit, and sound was a freedom cry.

​At at time, when much attention is given to our pain, and necessarily so in order to heal, "The Lauryn Hill Reader" (edited by Drs. Billye Sankofa Waters, Bettina Love, and yours truly, Dr. V) reminds us to unapologetically celebrate vulnerability alongside agency and resistance (as art) as an intellectual stance. This book is right on time for more media attention has recently been given to the exploitation of Black adolescent girls by adult men. 

Nonetheless, alongside Black girl pain we have artists like the almighty Queen Lauryn Hill and the authors' narratives and articulations in "Celebrating Twenty Years of Black Girlhood: The Lauryn Hill Reader" reminding us of Black girl joy as a site of resistance. Let's lift up our women hip hop and R&B artists' names who help us persist and resist in the face of patriarchy, racial oppression, and class exploitation. A hip hop feminist consciousness brings the balance needed in using art and story to heal trauma. 

In the struggle for our humanity,
​
Dr. Venus Evans-Winters
"Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach."

​Eventually, hired to teach in Colleges of Education, I quickly noticed the role that Black educators played in interrupting whiteness and the abuse of power in schools. After mentoring and observing Black students and educators involved at various levels of education (i.e. P-12 and colleges/universities), I began to research students', teachers', and administrators' experiences in schools and the support networks they relied upon to cope with home and work life. In short, like many other teachers, Black educators and other teachers of color, enter the profession with much enthusiasm about their craft, but experience stress related to multiple factors. However, in the face of a majority White teaching force, many young teachers of color report feelings of marginalization and exclusion, lack of authentic mentors, and professional development opportunities that do not necessarily meet their socio-emotional needs or cultural affinities (or what they believe to be best for their students of color).
​
Since completing that school social work internship, I have become a tenured university professor of education, a licensed clinical social worker and certified school social worker, and a psychotherapist specializing in trauma, resilience and health/wellness. It is shameful that my internship experience turned me off from practicing in K-12 settings. Nevertheless, I've spent the last decade calling for attention to the socio-emotional, physical, and mental health needs of our nation's most vulnerable workforce: those people of color surviving and thriving in education (and closely aligned “helping” occupations) institutions. 

• Who is taking care of us while we spend most of our time teaching/coaching/uplifting/empowering/taking care of others?
• Where are the highly trained mental health practitioners who can understand how the intersections of racism, sexism, classism, and xenophobia impact the overall health and coping strategies of minoritized people (as students and employees)?
• How do we discuss our professional and personal health goals with those whom appear to be so distant from us culturally?
• And, how do we discuss racism in the workplace and "our personal business" with cultural outsiders and strangers?
• How do professionals of color, especially women of color ask for help when we have only been taught to be the help?

(See: Melinda Anderson's body of work at "Teaching Tolerance" for more on race and educational equity, or my publications here on the topic.)
​
At-risk of sounding like an advertisement (okay, I am politicking), I honestly do believe that we need therapists who, along with cultural knowledge and sensitivity, also understand the political context of education, the stress involved in the act of teaching itself, and the moral obligation to model (social, emotional, cultural, and physical) “health”. Imagine a world where we combine best practices of culturally informed therapy with what we know about professional and personal resilience. 

Are you an educator? How do you cope with positive or negative stress? What are your health goals? Leave comments below or at @DrVEvansWinters on Twitter.

In the struggle for our humanity,

Dr. Venus Evans-Winters
"Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach."