K12 Independent schools have historically struggled with attracting and retaining faculty of color within their communities. This paper aims to explore the experiences of faculty of color, specifically Black women, in predominately White institutions and offer practical solutions to creating safe and equitable spaces where these individuals can feel seen, heard, and valued. The research for this paper relies heavily on focus group interviews of Black women in an independent school setting. The following themes emerged from these interviews: Perceptions and Stereotypes, Negative Experiences, Obligation to Others, and Institutional Support. These themes highlighted participants’ personal stories and experiences within various predominantly White institutions across their careers. The startling experiences of these women show how far we still have to go in terms of designing truly inclusive spaces for all faculty to feel that they are valued and welcomed members of the community.

从历史上看，K12独立学校一直在努力吸引和保留社区内的色彩系。本文旨在探讨在主要是白人机构中的色彩系，特别是黑人女性的经历，并提供切实可行的解决方案，以创造安全，公平的空间，使这些人能够看到，听到和珍视他们。本文的研究在很大程度上依赖于在独立学校中对黑人女性进行的焦点小组访谈。这些访谈产生了以下主题：观念和定型观念，负面经验，对他人的义务以及机构的支持。这些主题突出了参与者在其职业生涯中各个主要白人机构中的个人故事和经历。