PODCAST EPISODES

We’ve all heard the expression “black don’t crack,” referring to Black women’s youthful appearance and ageless beauty. But underneath this beautiful exterior, Black women are aging much faster than their peers of other races. In today’s episode, Dr. Daphne Watkins, a Diversity and Social Transformation professor at the University of Michigan School of Social Work, chats about her experience as a young black female faculty member (who earned her PhD at age 24), and the stressors associated with her youthfulness, perceived youthfulness, and the facade of strength Black women often carry. We discuss the impact of stress on Black bodies and reconsider how we approach the concept of “black don’t crack” to embrace our vulnerabilities and humanity as Black women. 

Topics Covered: 

• Aging differences in melanated skin
• Dr. Watkins’ experience as a young Black doctoral student and faculty member 
• Stress associated with youthfulness and perceived youthfulness in the workplace 
• Changing the narrative around what leaders look like in academia 
• Defining weathering and biological aging in Black people 
• Stressors contributing to weathering/premature aging of Black bodies
• Contrasting the youthful appearance of Black people with rapid biological aging
• Stress associated with preserving a facade of strength
• Exploring reverse age discrimination in the workplace
• How employers can avoid age-related bias against younger workers
• Dr. Watkins’ research interests around the intersection of diversity and age

Highlights:

• “Breathe and be authentically you.”

Connect with Dr. Watkins: 

On her website: https://daphnewatkins.com/

On Twitter: @DrDaphneWatkins

By E-mail: daphnew@umich.edu

Other References: 

• JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery, Long-term Patterns of Age-Related Facial Bone Loss in Black Individuals, July 18, 2019.
• NCBI, Aging Differences in Ethnic Skin, The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, Jan. 1, 2016. 
• Break Concrete, Episode 21, Embracing Uncomfortable Conversations with Erika Stallings
• Break Concrete, Episode 23, Prioritizing Black Women’s Health with Ashlee Wisdom
• Patia Braithwaite, Biological Weathering and Its Deadly Effect on Black Mothers, SELF, Sept. 30, 2019. 
• NCBI, Do US Black Women Experience Stress-Related Accelerated Biological Aging?
• Janel Martinez, The Major Health Ramifications of Racial ‘Weathering’ on Black People, MSN, Sept. 14, 2020.
• Lottie Joiner, Black May Not Crack, but We’re Aging Faster Inside, The Root, Nov. 20, 2013.

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