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#JPSPEAKS 017: A Discussion About the Book, “The Table: Stories from Black Women in Student Affairs” with Authors, Sierra Hairston and Ashley Young-Waters

Welcome to Episode 017 of the #JPSPEAKS: Social Justice & Inclusion Podcast for Higher Education Professionals! This month, we had the honor of interviewing, Sierra Hairston and Ashley Young-Waters, authors of the book, “The Table: Stories of Black Women in Student Affairs!”

Below, you will find the show notes, biographies, and a call-to-action! Enjoy!

In this particular episode, participants will…

  • learn more about the book, “The Table: Stories from Black Women in Student Affairs.”
  • learn from our guest authors’ experiences as Black women working in higher education
  • learn how to implement self-care strategies
  • learn how to purchase the book, “The Table”

Sierra Hairston’s Biography & Contact Info:

Sierra Hairston is a native of Martinsville Virginia, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, and the proud owner of a miniature poodle named Stanley.

She is a 2007 graduate of Radford University where she earned her Bachelor’s in Health Education and Health Promotion. After working for a nonprofit organization a little over a year, Sierra returned back to school and earned her Master’s degree in College and Community Counseling from Longwood University in 2011. For eight years working for predominately white universities, Sierra gained experience in counseling, residence life, and student life.

Sierra’s extrication from student affairs began in January 2018 and she is currently deciding on what she wants to be when she grows up. Her childhood dreams of being a comedian, the person who pumps the gas at the gas station, and a preacher all seem out of reach, so Sierra is looking to take her transferable skills to the corporate world.

Learn more about Sierra…

Ashley Young Waters’ Biography & Contact Info:

Being creative and having a passion for multimedia since a pre-teen, Ashley never thought that she would work in the higher education field. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford in 2015 with her BA in broadcast communications, Ashley traveled to Mumbai, India for a film and media internship/service-learning project. After her international adventure, Ashley returned back to her hometown of Philadelphia. Within a month of being back, Ashley found herself unenthused by the idea of staying in Philly so she got on a one-way flight to Melbourne, Florida where she had a 9-month retail management stint before accepting a job offer as the digital media coordinator at the her alma mater. Ashley’s experiences during her tenure as the digital media coordinator at Pitt-Bradford, along with conversations that she had with her friend and mentor Sierra Hairston (co-founder and contributing author of The Table), are driving forces behind this book’s inception.

Ashley no longer works in higher education and is currently focusing on her new business venture, SAGE, which is a collective for creatives of color who are looking for a digital space to house their work and opportunities to collaborate with other creators. She resides in San Diego, California with her husband Jason and cat Jarvis.

Learn more about Ashley…

The Table: Stories from Black Women in Student Affairs

Authors: Sienna Abdulahad, Ansley A. Booker, Sierra L. Hairston, Tabitha D. James, Coretta King, Teara Lander, Tiffany R. Paige, Chavonn Reed, Jillian Sturdivant, Leah Ward, Ashley Young-Waters

Abstract: Black women work twice as hard to have a seat at the infamous table. The table that once we have a seat at, we are told to be grateful for or else we could lose it—back to the kitchen, preparing meals that we may never have the pleasure of sitting down and enjoying. We are given no plate. No utensils. No napkin to clean up those accidental spills.

Instead of waiting for a seat at a table where we would have to compromise our stories or have them told by those who have not walked our paths, we decided to build our own table and invited some of our sisters to sit with us and indulge in its spread. This book is an anthology of the various trials and triumphs 11 Black women encountered while working in the student affairs sector of higher education. We are connected by our experiences navigating in spaces where we have sometimes felt disempowered, but we have learned the trade of maneuvering in a professional environment, and world, dominated by White people.

This is just the beginning. We will be adding more chairs, assembling more tables and inviting others in our communities to have a seat where they’d like. No more unfulfilled appetites and unseasoned dishes. No more scrapes from biting our tongues. At this table, we define spaces. We center conversations. We invite fellowship. We serve you food for your soul and truth elixir for your thirst.

Learn More…

Show Notes:

Call-to-Action:

What is your reaction to the above call-to-action? What conversations or thoughts have you had as a result of the above call-to-action? In order to build community around these challenges, share your reactions and accomplishments on your social media accounts by using #JPSPEAKS!

*IF NEEDED, A PDF OF THE AUDIO TRANSCRIPT CAN BE CREATED FOR YOU BY EMAILING INFO@JAMIEPIPERATO.COM (PLEASE ALLOW 7-10 BUSINESS DAYS FOR THE CREATION OF THIS FILE)!

Enter to Win a Free Copy of “The Table”

(Learn how to enter the raffle below!)

Our raffle giveaways are hosted through the company, Rafflecopter (the box below). This allows us to randomly select a winner for the raffle! To enter, please log in using the box below either with your Facebook log in or your email address. Then, you will be instructed to complete two actions: (1) “Visit” JPHigherEd’s Facebook Page; and (2) “follow” JPHigherEd’s Twitter page! By completing these two actions, you will be entered into the drawing! At the end of the raffle, if you are the winner, we will contact you to obtain a work/mailing address so we can send you your new book!

We will be selecting two winners for this raffle.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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