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Understanding How Micro Affirmations Support Multiply Marginalized Social Justice School Leaders to Thrive

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Title: Understanding How Micro Affirmations Support Multiply Marginalized Social Justice School Leaders to Thrive
Language: English
Authors: Rebecca Cheung (ORCID 0000-0002-4107-2970), Aukeem Ballard (ORCID 0009-0009-4602-0334)
Source: Journal of Educational Administration. 2026 64(2):249-261.
Availability: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 13
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Women Administrators, Instructional Leadership, Social Justice, African Americans, Well Being, Professional Development, Social Networks, Resilience (Psychology), Positive Reinforcement, Racism, Coping, Microaggressions, Transformational Leadership, Empowerment, Minority Groups
DOI: 10.1108/JEA-01-2025-0014
ISSN: 0957-8234
1758-7395
Abstract: Purpose: This paper illuminates and amplifies enduring wisdom from the everyday experiences of thriving women of color social justice school leaders who receive and give microaffirmations as an essential part of their asset-based leadership praxis. This study contributes to the knowledge base that informs leadership scholarship and practice in service of creating the conditions that truly support and sustain a diverse educator workforce. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses a purposive case study of four women of color social justice school leaders. Information was gathered over multiple years based on four volunteers from a professional development support network. Sources include ten observations of affinity-based network meetings; eight in depth, semi-structured interviews, feedback surveys and written accounts of participants; descriptive and reflective field notes and artifacts including publicly accessible material. Findings: Our analysis suggests that receiving diverse types of microaffirmations sustained participants' resilience in the face of persistent racial and gendered microaggressions. Their social justice leadership praxis touches various levels of school organizations, indicating how microaffirmations serve as a key strategy for coping with a singular paradox: being punished (i.e. microaggressions) for doing transformative leadership. Originality/value: This paper makes an important contribution by centering rich insights from participants who are multiply marginalized leaders by focusing on microaffirmations as a response to microaggressions. This study connects concepts and constructs from different disciplines (leadership, race and gender).
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1507781
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Understanding How Micro Affirmations Support Multiply Marginalized Social Justice School Leaders to Thrive
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rebecca+Cheung%22">Rebecca Cheung</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4107-2970">0000-0002-4107-2970</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Aukeem+Ballard%22">Aukeem Ballard</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4602-0334">0009-0009-4602-0334</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Educational+Administration%22"><i>Journal of Educational Administration</i></searchLink>. 2026 64(2):249-261.
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  Data: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
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  Data: 13
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Women+Administrators%22">Women Administrators</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Instructional+Leadership%22">Instructional Leadership</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Justice%22">Social Justice</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22African+Americans%22">African Americans</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Well+Being%22">Well Being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+Development%22">Professional Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Networks%22">Social Networks</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Resilience+%28Psychology%29%22">Resilience (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Positive+Reinforcement%22">Positive Reinforcement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Racism%22">Racism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Coping%22">Coping</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Microaggressions%22">Microaggressions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Transformational+Leadership%22">Transformational Leadership</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Empowerment%22">Empowerment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Minority+Groups%22">Minority Groups</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1108/JEA-01-2025-0014
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  Data: 0957-8234<br />1758-7395
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: This paper illuminates and amplifies enduring wisdom from the everyday experiences of thriving women of color social justice school leaders who receive and give microaffirmations as an essential part of their asset-based leadership praxis. This study contributes to the knowledge base that informs leadership scholarship and practice in service of creating the conditions that truly support and sustain a diverse educator workforce. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses a purposive case study of four women of color social justice school leaders. Information was gathered over multiple years based on four volunteers from a professional development support network. Sources include ten observations of affinity-based network meetings; eight in depth, semi-structured interviews, feedback surveys and written accounts of participants; descriptive and reflective field notes and artifacts including publicly accessible material. Findings: Our analysis suggests that receiving diverse types of microaffirmations sustained participants' resilience in the face of persistent racial and gendered microaggressions. Their social justice leadership praxis touches various levels of school organizations, indicating how microaffirmations serve as a key strategy for coping with a singular paradox: being punished (i.e. microaggressions) for doing transformative leadership. Originality/value: This paper makes an important contribution by centering rich insights from participants who are multiply marginalized leaders by focusing on microaffirmations as a response to microaggressions. This study connects concepts and constructs from different disciplines (leadership, race and gender).
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        Value: 10.1108/JEA-01-2025-0014
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      – Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Women Administrators
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      – SubjectFull: Instructional Leadership
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      – SubjectFull: Social Justice
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      – SubjectFull: African Americans
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      – SubjectFull: Positive Reinforcement
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      – SubjectFull: Racism
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      – SubjectFull: Coping
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      – SubjectFull: Microaggressions
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      – SubjectFull: Transformational Leadership
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      – SubjectFull: Empowerment
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