UCLA

This study explored the experiences of Black educators when participating in anti-racist Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) professional development (PD). The sample population of twelve Black educators—a mix of teachers, counselors, directors, assistant principals, and principals—all represented professionals who worked at various school sites within one Los Angeles charter management organization. My research design applied a qualitative and phenomenological method in order to identify the racial battle fatigue reactions participants experienced during DEI PD and how these reactions manifested within the participants, e.g. emotionally, behaviorally, physiologically. The study also sought to identify recommendations the participants—all of whom were interviewed individually—offered in order to reduce racial battle fatigue during DEI PD. Three main findings emerged from the analysis. First, the current implementation and experience of anti-racist DEI PD in a Los Angeles secondary charter school network creates negative emotions for participants. The most common and intense of emotions among participants were exhaustion, anxiety, and frustration. Second, Black educators in a Los Angeles charter network repeatedly experienced racial battle fatigue in primarily unobservable ways during anti-racist DEI PD, each in their own way. Participants primarily reported withdrawing psychologically and/or emotionally, e.g. choosing not to actively share their thoughts, in order to cope with the racial battle fatigue they experienced during DEI sessions. Third, the findings indicated that the twelve participants’ recommendations included changing the leadership of DEI PD to involve more expert-led facilitation. The participants also recommended including more time to process the DEI experiences and communication, as well as creating a more personalized DEI PD experience for participants.