>> COMING UP ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN..." >> Juhanna: ON TONIGHT'S EPISODE, WE ARE MEETING LAURA JACK.

>> I WORK FOR COLGATE UNIVERSITY.

VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATIONS.

IT'S WEIRD THAT SUCH A HORRIBLE AND DIFFICULT TIME BECAME A MOMENT FOR ME.

AT THE TIME I WAS THE FIRST AND ONLY PERSON OF COLOR ON THE PRESIDENT'S CABINET.

A LOT OF INSTITUTIONS WERE HAVING CONVERSATIONS THAT WERE NOT HAPPENING BEFORE.

DIVERSITY AROUND THE TABLE GIVES YOU BETTER DECISIONS.

IN THE FOUR YEARS I HAVE BEEN HERE, I HAVE HAD MOMENTS WHERE I'M LIKE YEP, THIS IS WHY I'M HERE.

♪ I GOT A GOOD, GOOD FEELING, I'M UP ON A CLOUD AIN'T COMING BACK DOWN ♪ ♪ I GOT A GOOD, GOOD, GOOD FEELING ♪ ♪ YEAH ♪ ♪ YEAH, I'M UP ON A CLOUD, AIN'T COMING BACK DOWN ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME.

TEXT A FRIEND AND LET THEM KNOW THAT "BEHIND THE WOMAN" IS ON AND I'M YOUR HOST, Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS.

ON TONIGHT'S ESPECIALLY EPISODE WE ARE MEETING LAURA JACK, A FIERCE LEADER WHO IS IMPACTING HIGHER EDUCATION ON MULTIPLE LEVELS.

SHE IS THE ACTING CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATIONS AT COLGATE UNIVERSITY.

SHE IS ALSO A Ph.D. STUDENT AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY AND IS AN AVID RUNNER.

LET'S TAKE A QUICK MINUTE AND LEARN MORE ABOUT LAURA AND HOW SHE GOT TO WHERE SHE IS TODAY.

>> MY NAME IS LAURA JACK.

I WORK FOR COLGATE UNIVERSITY.

I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATIONS.

AS WELL AS ACTING CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER.

I GREW NEWSPAPER QUEENS.

GREW UP WITH MY MOM AND DAD AND OLDER BROTHER.

I GUESS YOU WOULD CALL IT A MIDDLE-CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD.

MANY BLACK FAMILIES.

MY FATHER CAME TO THIS COUNTRY FROM TRINIDAD.

MY MOM GREW NEWSPAPER QUEENS.

MIME BIRACIAL.

SHE WAS WHITE.

THE ONLY WHITE LADY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

ALL BLACK K-12 AND THEN PACE FOR UNDERGRAD AND BA ROOK COLLEGE FOR BOTH MASTERS AND STUDENT AT SYRACUSE IN THE Ph.D.

PROGRAM.

AFTER COLLEGE, I WAS OFFERED A JOB WHERE I WAS INTERNING DURING SCHOOL SO I STARTED OUT THERE.

IN CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS, ADVERTISING MEDIA, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND I SPENT PROBABLY 10 YEARS WORKING IN THAT CORPORATE SPACE.

AND ENDED UP AT EL SEVERE, A SCIENCE PUBLISHER.

ALL OF THE BIG JOURNALS FOR RESEARCHERS AND I WAS LOOKING WITH LIBRARIANS AT COLLEGE CAMPUSES ON THEIR SUBSCRIPTIONS AND I THOUGHT MAYBE EDUCATION IS A DIRECTION I WANT TO GO.

I TOOK A COUPLE STEPS BACK IN TITLE AND WAS MARKETING COORDINATOR FOR CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK.

AND LOVED IT.

THAT STARTED MY PATH IN HIGHER ED.

8 OR 9 YEARS.

THEN WENT TO JOHN HOPKINS AND THEN HOWARD AND HERE TO COLGATE.

WITHIN A COUPLE DAYS OF BEING AT COLGATE, A WOMAN CAME UP TO ME AND SAID I'M SO GLAD YOU ARE HERE.

THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE US ON CAMPUS.

I WAS THE FIRSTAGE ONLY PERSON ON THE CAB NETTED'S CABINET.

THERE WAS A PURPOSE FOR ME TO BE THERE AND I THINK IN THE FOUR YEARS I HAVE BEEN HERE, I HAVE HAD MOMENTS WHERE I'M LIKE YEP, THIS IS WHY I'M HERE.

>> WELCOME LAURA.

CAN WE GO OUT RUNNING AFTER THE SHOW.

>> I NEED TO DO MY MILES FOR TODAY.

>> Juhanna: WALK.

I HAVE TO WORK UP TO RUNNING.

I SEE YOU ON INSTAGRAM AND YOU WERE RUNNING BEFORE COVID, YOU WERE IN TRINIDAD RUNNING HERE AND RUNNING THERE.

I WISH I COULD FEEL THAT COMMITTED.

>> NOW IT'S TOO LATE TO STOP.

>> RIGHT.

RIGHT BUT THAT IS BEAUTIFUL.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WITH A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING IN RELATION TO JUSTED HEALTH AND THE CARE OF WOMEN OF COLOR, LIKE YOU KNOW, HAVING SOMEONE CONSISTENTLY IN YOUR FEED THAT YOU WATCH TAKE MILES AND MILES AND DO IT SO GRACIOUSLY IS REALLY INSPIRING.

ON TOP OF ALL THE OTHER GREAT STUFF THAT YOU ARE DOING.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Juhanna: SO AS A FORMER HIGHER EDUCATION PRACTITIONER, I'M SO EXCITED TO SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH YOU ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING AT COLGATE.

CONGRATULATIONS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Juhanna: IN THE SPIRIT OF EVERYTHING I JUST SAID, HOW HAS WALKING INTO THE CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER POSITION TO BEING THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATIONS, BEING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE PRESIDENT, IF YOU WILL, OF SUCH A PRESTIGIOUS UNIVERSITY, BEEN LIKE IN THE MIDST OF COVID?

>> YEAH, IT'S BEEN CHALLENGING.

PROBABLY ONE OF THE HARDEST YEARS IN MY CAREER.

WE SENT STUDENTS HOME MARCH OF 2020, EVERYONE KNOWS, YOU KNOW, MOST BUSINESSES SAID, YOU KNOW, WORK FROM HOME.

COLLEGES SENT STUDENTS HOME.

AND THEY DIDN'T RETURN FOR THE REST OF THE SEMESTER SO OUR CLASS OF 2020 GRADUATES HAD A VIRTUAL GRADUATION.

AND THEN WE TURNED ALL OF OUR ATTENTION TO THINKING ABOUT WHAT DO WE DO IN THE FALL?

SHOULD WE TRY TO BRING STUDENTS BACK?

AND AFTER HOURS AND HOURS OF CONVERSATION, IT WAS WE ARE AT OUR BEST TOGETHER.

AND WE BROUGHT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS BACK TO CAMPUS IN AUGUST: THEY WERE TESTED BEFORE THEY LEFT HOME.

THEY WERE TESTED ON ARRIVAL AND THEY STAY HAD HAD THEIR ROOMS FOR 14 DAYS.

>> Juhanna: OH MY GOSH.

>> FACULTY AND STAFF DELIVERED EVERY SINGLE MEAL, EVERY SINGLE PACKAGE, EVERY TEXTBOOK THAT THEY NEEDED.

AND THE PRESIDENT EVEN QUARANTINED IN A DORM ROOM HIMSELF WITH NO AIR CONDITIONING, I MIGHT ADD.

IT WAS CHALLENGING AND COMMUNICATION BECAME AT THE FOREFRONT.

>> Juhanna: THAT'S WHAT I'M IMAGINING BECAUSE EVEN IN MY PROFESSIONAL ROLE, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM AND PROBABLY A LOT OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS BECAME REALLY THE FRONT LINE FOR HOW WE ARE NAVIGATING OR PIVOTING AND SO TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT DID TO A ROLE THAT'S NORMALLY IN THE-- YOU TALK ABOUT THIS, BEHIND THE SCENES PERSON.

>> I'M THE BEHIND THE SCENES MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING HAPPENS AND FOLKS KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON.

BUT SUDDENLY, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ALL LEARNING ABOUT THE PANDEMIC IN REAL TIME TOGETHER AND THERE WERE SO MANY QUESTIONS AND SO MANY THINGS UNANSWERED AND PEOPLE JUST NEEDED SO MUCH INFORMATION.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A DAILY THICK.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE COMMUNICATE ON A DAILY BASIS AND TALKING WITH THE PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT CASEY AND I WERE SAYING THERE NEEDS TO BE A VOICE, SOMETHING THAT COALESCES EVERYTHING TOGETHER AND WE CREATED COLGATE TOGETHER.

THE NOTION THAT'S WE ARE AT OUR BEST WHEN WE ARE TOGETHER AND WE ARE DOING SOMETHING HARD SO THAT WE CAN STAY TOGETHER, STAY ON CAMPUS.

CONTINUE TO LEARN IN PERSON.

AND AS CLOSE AS NORMAL IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC.

>> Juhanna: I REMEMBER MY SON, MY TRYING TO FINISH HIS FRESHMAN YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL.

I NEVER HAD ASPIRATIONS OF BEING A FULL TIME TEACHER, HOME SCHOOLING.

AND THEN YOU GET THE IDEA AND THEN THIS IDEA, NOW I KNOW YOU LIKE TO BE HUMBLE SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND PUT IT OUT THERE.

YOU WERE ORGANIZING, AT LEAST THE WRITTEN DOCUMENT THAT WENT OUT THAT SHARED INFORMATION... >> AND IT WAS MOYE MY SIGNATURE.

WE TALKED ABOUT WHO SHOULD IT BE FROM AND THE CONVERSATION, THE DIRECTION WE WENT WAS HAVING ME PUT MY NAME ON THEM SO IT BECAME THE LORD JACK EMAIL-- THE LAURA JACK EMAIL AND PEOPLE WOULD RESPOND WITH EVERYTHING FROM CONCERNS TO FRUSTRATION, TO, IT WAS A FUNNY LITTLE JOKE YOU ADDED IN THERE, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE INFORMATION.

THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT HAVE YOU DONE TO KEEP US TOGETHER.

AND FOR SOMEONE THAT DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF DIRECT STUDENT CONTACT, IT BECAME A CHANNEL WHERE WOULD I TALK WITH STUDENTS ABOUT HOW THEY WERE DOING ON CAMPUS AND WHAT DID THEY NEED AND WHAT COULD WE DO TO HELP THEM IN SUCH A DIFFICULT TIME.

>> Juhanna: THAT'S SPECTACULAR BECAUSE BECAUSE AS YOU SAY, WE LIKE TO PLAY THE BEHIND THE SCENES PERSON TO BE AT THE MOMENT THAT WE WILL REMEMBER FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.

THIS IS A DEFINING MOMENT AND YOUR NAME AND THE WORK THAT DID YOU IN THE MIDST OF THAT, THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO REMEMBER THOSE LAURA JACK EMAILS, A NAME THAT FOLLOWS.

>> IT'S A LITTLE WEIRD FOR ME TO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I ALMOST-- I FOUND MY VOICE A BIT IN THAT TIME.

IT WAS EMPOWERING AND IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO, YOU KNOW, SHARE MY VOICE MORE AT THE TABLE.

WHEN WE WERE MAKING DECISIONS AND KEEPING, YOU KNOW, THOUGHTS AROUND EQUITY IN MIND AS WE WERE MAKING THESE DECISIONS SO IT'S WEIRD THAT SUCH A HORRIBLE AND DIFFICULT TIME, IN A WAY, BECAME A MOMENT FOR ME.

>> Juhanna: RIGHT.

AND WHEN YOU DESCRIBE THAT, AND WHAT I THINK ABOUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT I HAD TO NAVIGATE AND LIVE THROUGH AS A PROFESSIONAL SORE AN ADULT, YOU KNOW, I THINK BACK TO WHAT WOULD THAT EXPERIENCE HAVE BEEN LIKE IF I WAS A COLLEGE STUDENT RIGHT NOW.

BUT WHAT IT ALSO MAKES ME THINK ABOUT IS THE MOMENT THAT, AS A BLACK WOMAN, OH LORD, WORKING IN THE ACADEMY, IF YOU WILL, IT IS NOT VERY OVER THAT YOU ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIND THAT SPACE OR HAVE THAT MOMENT.

IT'S NOT A SPACE THAT'S BUILT FOR US.

I MEEB NO MATTER ALL OF THE-- I MEAN NO MATTER ALL OF THE WORK THAT GOES INTO TODAY, FACULTY, STAFF ADMINISTRATORS TRYING TO MAKE HIGHER EDUCATION MORE ACCESSIBLE, MORE EQUITABLE, THE FOUNDATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION WAS ON EXCLUSIVITY.

IT WAS ON EXCLUDING PEOPLE FROM THAT SPACE.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND THE TABLE AND DON'T SEE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT LOOK LIKE YOU... GLDGES.

>> Juhanna: AS VICE PRESIDENT SITTING IN THE PRESIDENT'S CABINET WITH LOCKS IN HER HAIR.

>> IN CENTRAL NEW YORK.

>> Juhanna: AND THE LIST GOES ON.

I DON'T THINK-- HAVING BEEN IN THAT SPACE, I CAN LOOK AT YOU AND JUST GO, RIGHT AND I THINK THAT'S PART WHAT HAVE DRIVES ME, YOU KNOW, GROWING UP, I GREW UP IN QUEENS AND THE OPTIONS FELT-- THEY DIDN'T FEEL LIMITED AT THAT TIME BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT ALL EXISTED, RIGHT?

I FELT THERE WERE CERTAIN PATHS THAT WERE AVAILABLE TO ME.

AND NOW THAT I'M YEARS LATER IN THIS ROLE, AND REALIZING THAT THERE IS A WHOLE WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES THAT WASN'T AVAILABLE FOR ME AND THAT I DIDN'T SEE PEOPLE THAT LOOKED LIKE ME IN, SO PART OF IT IS THIS DRIVE TO REPRESENT THAT, RIGHT?

SO COMING TO CENTRAL NEW YORK, I REMEMBER THIS DEBATE WITH MYSELF, LIKE AM I DOING THE RIGHT THING?

I'M A CITY GIRL THROUGH AND THROUGH, I GREW UP IN NEW YORK CITY, LIVED IN WASHINGTON D.C.

I'M GOING TO MOVE TO HAMILTON NEW YORK WITH A POPULATION OF MAYBE 3,000 PEOPLE.

AND MAYBE SIX OF THEM LOOK LIKE ME.

>> Juhanna: RIGHT.

>> LITERALLY.

>> Juhanna: I SO FEEL YOU WHEN YOU SAY THAT BECAUSE MANY OF MY FRIEND GO WHY ARE YOU IN SYRACUSE?

>> WELL, AND ON MY FIRST DAY, I WASN'T EVEN ON THE PAY ROME.

I WAS AT AN EVENT IN THE CHAPEL AND THIS YOUNG WOMAN COMES OVER TO ME AND HUGS ME AND SAYS I'M SO GLAD YOU ARE HERE.

IT WAS A STUDENT OBVIOUSLY BUT SHE MUST HAVE SEEN THE ANNOUNCEMENT COME OUT AND SAW THE PICTURE THAT WAS ATTACHED TO IT AND THEN IN THAT MOMENT, I KNEW THERE WAS A PURPOSE.

THE REASON I WAS HERE.

>> Juhanna: AS AN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT, AND THIS IS WHAT PROPELLED ME FIRST TO GO INTO HIGHER EDUCATION, I WAS OBVIOUSLY A BLACK GIRL FROM NEWARK IN THE MIDDLE OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA, VERY LIKE VERY CENTRAL NEW YORK ALMOST LIKE ENVIRONMENT, BUT IN PENNSYLVANIA.

AND THERE WAS THREE ADMINISTRATORS ON CAMPUS THAT WERE OF COLOR , TWO WERE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS, ONE WAS THE MINORITY RECRUITMENT PERSON AND ADMISSIONS Mr. MACKLIN AND ONE FACULTY MEMBER WHO TAUGHT A LABOR RELATIONS CLASS AND ALL THE BLACK PEOPLE WHO TOOK HIS CLASS BECAUSE HE WAS JUST AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND SO THERE WERE FOUR.

INITIALLY MY FOCUS WAS TO GO INTO HIGHER EDUCATION BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE ON CAMPUS WHEN KIDS SHOWED UP AND GOT DROPPED OFF AND THEY LOOKED AROUND AND COULDN'T FIND ANY ADULTS THAT LOOKED LIKE THEM, RIGHT?

SO THAT'S A REALLY POWERFUL THING.

>> YEAH, AND FOR ME, I DIDN'T AUTO ENKNOW THIS WAS A SPACE TO BE-- I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THIS WAS A SPACE TO BE IN.

I WAS FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT.

I DECIDED I WANTED TO GO TO COLLEGE FOR TEACHING OR MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS AND I GOT A SCHOLARSHIP AND SAID WE ARE GOING FOR MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS.

OKAY.

THAT'S WHERE THE FUNDING FOR COLLEGE WAS AND THAT'S WHERE I WENT.

I STARTED MY CAREER IN CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS.

I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE THE WORLD OF HIGHER EDUCATION WAS SOMETHING THAT I COULD DO.

>> Juhanna: AND NOW HERE YOU ARE.

AND MANY FOLKS DON'T THINK ABOUT HIGHER EDUCATION AS A PROFESSION, RIGHT, BECAUSE YOU THINK COLLEGE PROFESSORS BUT THERE IS A WHOLE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY THAT EXISTS THAT HELP CAMPUSES OPERATE AND I STUDIED IT FOR A LONG TIME.

AND SO IN THE MIDST OF THIS AND IN THE SPIRIT OF FINDING YOUR VOICE, RIGHT NOW THERE IS A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING ON CAMPUSES AND PREDOMINANTLY WHITE CAMPUSES AT THAT.

AND THE SPACES THAT ARE EITHER BEING CREATED OR NOT BEING CREATED FOR WOMEN THAT LOOK LIKE US.

>> RIGHT.

>> Juhanna: AND I THINK THE LEADING STORY RIGHT NOW IS OUR SISTER WHO FOUND AN APPOINTMENT AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY AND WAS AT UNC CHAPEL HILL AND DENIED TENURE BY THE BOARD.

>> NOT BY THE FACULTY.

>> Juhanna: BUT BY THE BOARD.

>> RIGHT.

>> Juhanna: AND WHEN I-- IT'S BEING DISCUSSED IN THE NEWS AND IN NEWSPAPERS AND ALL OF THAT, ABOUT HOW YOU CAN PUT YOUR LIFE'S WORK, YOUR PASSION INTO SOMETHING AND IF IT HAS TO DO WITH RACE OR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, YOU KNOW, CAN IT BE COUNTED?

AND NOW AS THE ACTING CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER IN THIS ROLE AND MY 9-5, I DO THAT WORK AS WELL, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY?

>> HOW MUCH TIME DO WE HAVE?

THERE IS SO MANY LAYERS AND SO MANY COMPONENTS TO THIS, RIGHT?

I THINK ABOUT YOU KNOW, WITHIN THIS YEAR, AROUND THE PANDEMIC, THERE WAS ALSO ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, CRISIS THAT WE WERE FACING AND IT WAS THE COUNTRY REALLY RECKONING WITH RACISM AND BRUTALITY THAT STILL TAKES PLACE IN THE YEAR 2020-2021, RIGHT?

AND I THINK A LOT OF INSTITUTIONS WERE HAVING CONVERSATIONS THAT WERE NOT HAPPENING BEFORE.

REALLY REALIZING AND HEARING THE EXPERIENCES OF PEOPLE OF COLOR ON THEIR CAMPUS AND NOT JUST STUDENTS.

IN OUR CABINET MEETINGS WE TALK ABOUT WHAT IT'S LIKE FOR ME TO LIVE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK AND TO LIVE IN HAMILTON.

AND I THINK THERE WILL BE INSTITUTIONS THAT WILL MAKE A TRUE EFFORT TO IMPROVE, TO REALLY ACKNOWLEDGE AND THERE IS LITERATURE THAT PROVES THIS.

DIVERSITY AROUND THE TABLE GIVES YOU BETTER DECISIONS.

IT GIVES YOU BETTER OUTCOMES.

IT INCREASES REVENUES.

ALL OF THESE THINGS.

SO IT'S NOT JUST A MORAL QUESTION, RIGHT?

IT'S A BUSINESS QUESTION.

IF YOU WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS DAY AND AGE, YOU HAVE TO RECKON WITH WHAT ARE YOUR POLICIES, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO GOING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXCEL AND BE THE GREATEST THAT THEY CAN BE SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS AND WE WILL SEE.

INSTITUTIONS ARE GOING TO MAKE A CHOICE AND IT'S A VERY-- YOU KNOW, IT'S A COMPLICATED ISSUE DISWHRJ BECAUSE PEOPLE OR DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE SPECTRUM AND DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDINGS.

DIFFERENT POINTS IN THEIR OWN PERSONAL JOURNEY, WITH THIS COUNTRY AND WHAT RACE AND RACISM IS REALLY ABOUT.

AND YOU LOOK AT THE INSTANCE AT UNC CHAPEL HILL.

SHE MADE THE STATEMENT, WHY AM I FORCING MYSELF INTO A SPACE THAT DOESN'T WANT ME?

THAT WASN'T MADE FOR ME AND DOESN'T WANT ME.

TAKE MY TALENTS ELSEWHERE.

>> Juhanna: OFTEN TIMES WHEN WE THINK ABOUT-- EVEN SITTING ON THIS SHOW "BEHIND THE WOMAN" AND HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, THERE WERE SO MANY WOMEN THAT HAVE COME BEFORE US THAT DID THOUGHT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE ENDURING IN ORDER TO BRING HOME A PAYCHECK OR TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES OR TO LIVE OUT THE PASSION WITHIN A CERTAIN SECTOR OR INDUSTRY AND WHAT THEY HAD TO PUT UP WITH.

>> THERE IS THIS NOTION OF THE STRONG BLACK WOMAN THAT CARRIES THESE BURDENS WITH A SMILE, RIGHT?

>> Juhanna: WE CAN'T COMPLAIN.

>> NO AND THERE IS A PART OF ME THAT ACKNOWLEDGES, YOU KNOW, WHEN I HAVE A TOUGH DAY OR WHETHER SOMETHING HAPPENS, I ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRIVILEGE IN THE PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE, RIGHT?

IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I DON'T HAVE CHALLENGES AND PROBLEMS.

I ACTUALLY JUST READ A BOOK OF A WOMAN, Dr. WALKER AND IT WAS CALLED THE UNAPOLOGETIC GUIDE TO BLACK MENTAL HEALTH AND THE NOTION THAT BLACK WOMEN ARE CONDITIONED TO BE THE OPPOSITE OF HOW WE TEND TO BE PORTRAYED.

SO IF YOU GO THROUGH THE DECADES AND THINK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT STEREOTYPES OF HOW BLACK WOMEN HAVE BEEN, WHETHER IT'S THE MAM IE OR GENTLEMEN BELL OR WELFARE QUEEN AND NOW WE COME TO THE AGE WHERE WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING AND MAKE IT SEEM LIKE IT'S NOT HARD IN ORDER TO PROVE OUR WORTH.

AND THAT IS TAXING ON YOUR BODY, PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY.

>> Juhanna: BECAUSE THE CONSISTENT STRESS THAT YOU ARE UNDER CONNECTS TO RACIAL BATTLE FATIGUE AND ENDURING MICROAGGRESSIONS, RIGHT.

THAT HAS A PHYSIOLOGICAL IMPACT ON YOUR WELL-BEING AND.

>> WE ARE IN A COMMUNITY THAT SAYS SUCK IT UP.

>> Juhanna: RIGHT.

>> YOU'RE FINE.

GET YOURSELF UP, WIPE YOURSELF UP,.

>> Juhanna: PULL YOURSELF UP BY WHATEVER THESE BOOTSTRAPS-- I DON'T EVEN WEAR BOOTS.

>> AND KEEP GOING.

AND MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS.

WE THINK ABOUT AND I BET YOU ARE GUILTY OF THIS, TOO.

TAKING CARE OF OTHERS AROUND YOU MORE THAN YOU DO YOURSELF.

>> AND THAT'S REAL.

THAT'S SO REAL.

AND SOMETHING DRAMATIC HAS TO HAPPEN TO CREATE THE SHIFT FOR YOU TO STEP AWAY LIKE A SISTER FROM UNC WHO SAYS I'M NOT DOING THIS.

FOR ME IT WAS COVID.

AND LAYING IN THE HOSPITAL AND THINKING ABOUT HOW MUCH I WAS TAKING ON.

THAT WOULD HAVE TIRED MY BODY OUT TO THIS POINT AND THIS SEVERITY.

BUT WHEN WE ALSO TALK ABOUT, AND WE SAW THE NUMBER AND EXPERIENCING THE IMPACT IT WAS HAVING ON THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY, RIGHT BECAUSE OF WHAT WE ARE IN A PRIVILEGED SPACE, THE POSITIONS THAT WE SIT IN, BUT FOR FOLKS THAT MAY NOT HAVE HAD THE ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES, TO GET THEM INTO POSITIONS THAT WE ARE IN, OUR FRONT LINE WORKERS THAT HAD TO GET UP OR LOST THEIR JOBS.

>> THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE OPTION.

>> IT'S SO DEEP.

>> I OFTEN THINK ABOUT THE PANDEMIC AND, WHILE I RECOGNIZE THERE IS A LOT OF DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THEM, I THINK OF 9/11, WHICH WAS PRETTY PIVOTAL FOR ME AS WELL.

I WAS WORKING IRONICALLY AT AN AIRPORT ADVERTISING COMPANY, AND WE, SEPTEMBER 10 AND 11, I FLEW EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY SALES PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TO NEW YORK CITY FOR OUR CONFERENCE AND THEN THE MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 11, THE WORLD STOPPED.

AND THEN I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THEM ALL BACK HOME, RIGHT?

BUT IN THAT MOMENT I WAS THINKING, IF THIS IS ALL OVER TODAY, I SOLD GREAT AIRPORT ADS?

WAS THAT MY PURPOSE?

WAS THAT WHY I WAS HERE?

AND I STARTED TO REEVALUATE WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT DID I WANT AND THEN I SAW A POSITION AT CITY UNIVERSITY AND I WAS THINKING COMMUNICATIONS FOR A BETTER, FOR A GREATER GOOD.

AND HIGHER ED, THAT WAS MY ENTRANCE INTO HIGHER ED AND I HAVE BEEN HERE EVER SINCE.

>> Juhanna: IT'S INTERESTING YOU SAY THAT BECAUSE YOU'VE GONE FROM CUNY, YOU SPENT TIME AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY, WHAT WE CALL THE MECCA, RIGHT, AND NOW YOU ARE HERE IN DOLE GATE MAKING-- COLGATE MAKING AN IMPACT ON THE WORLD IN A VERY IMPORTANT WAY, LAURA JACK.

WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WOULD SAY TO A YOUNG PERSON OR EVEN AN OLDER PERSON THAT MAYBE AT THAT MOMENT OF TRYING TO FIND THEIR PURPOSE, RIGHT NOW AS WE CLOSE OUT, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR WORDS OF ADVICE TO THEM?

>> FOLLOW IT EVEN IF IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THE RIGHT, YOU KNOW-- YOU KNOW IN YOUR GUT WHEN YOU NEED TO MAKE A CHANGE.

YOU KNOW WHEN SOMETHING NEEDS TO SHIFT AND THE DIRECTION YOU ARE DRAWN TO DOESN'T ALWAYS SEEM RIGHT.

I DON'T LIKE COLD.

I DON'T LIKE SNOW.

RIGHT?

I'M LIKE HAMILTON?

NO WAY.

RIGHT?

BUT I HAVE SEEN IN THESE YEARS, MY ABILITY TO HAVE AN IMPACT.

AND I COULD HAVE MISSED IT IF I DIDN'T TAKE THAT CHANCE.

DISWHRJ WILL THERE BE A "BEHIND THE WOMAN" IF I WASN'T IN SYRACUSE?

>> WE WOULD HAVE NEVER MET.

>> Juhanna: I DON'T LIKE SNOW EITHER.

WE ARE ALL GOING TO RUN A MILE IN LAURA'S SHOES.

THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO WITH YOUR STUDENTS AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE IMPACT YOU MAKE ON CENTRAL NEW YORK.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIEW THE SHOW AGAIN, YOU CAN VISIT US ONLINE AT WCNY.ORG/"BEHIND THE WOMAN".

MY NAME IS Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS AND ON BEHALF OF THE "BEHIND THE WOMAN" TEAM, THANK YOU AND HAVE A WONDERFUL NIGHT.

♪ ♪ >> NEXT WEEK ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN..." >> MY NAME IS DENISE WELCH.

I AM THE ASSOCIATE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR BLACK HEALTH.

TONIGHT WE WILL BE DOING A SEGMENT ON ASK THE DOCTOR.

THE PANDEMIC HIT AROUND MARCH.

WE FORMED A COALITION WAS ARE AND WAS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY IN APRIL.

SO WE HAVE TO KEEP HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS.

THEY HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SEE PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE US.

THIS IS MY COMMUNITY AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BRING MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS ALONG