Blacktivism In the Academy 6.2 Friendship in the Academy
Sep 11, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Paris Wicker, an Assistant Professor at the University at Buffalo, and LaShawn Faith Washington, delve into the power of friendship among scholars. They share how their bond began during their PhD journeys and the importance of community-building in academia. The duo emphasizes collaboration over competition, encouraging rising Black scholars to embrace authenticity and creativity. They also reflect on inspiration from mentorship experiences and stress the significance of representation in academic spaces.
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Friendship Formed During Doctoral Journey
- Paris Wicker and LaShawn Faith Washington met as doctoral students under Dr. Rochelle Winkle-Wagner and built a friendship while navigating different life stages.
- They intentionally chose each other over competition, even when they became finalists for the same jobs.
Finding Community Amid Life Differences
- LaShawn described immediate kinship with Paris because of shared appearance and communal need after moving away from family.
- They learned to include one another in social life despite different schedules and parenting responsibilities.
Choose Generosity Over Scarcity
- They observed the academy often promotes scarcity and competition that pits colleagues against each other.
- Choosing generosity and public collaboration created a different, abundant way to do academic work together.
