They started out eager and optimistic. Then came the anonymous note saying a professor “talks too Black.” The complaint that a scholar wrote too much about her Asian American identity. 

These experiences, colored by race and class, are among the reasons why faculty members at institutions across the country quit their jobs. Five professors of color who spent years feeling overlooked, underappreciated, misunderstood, or even attacked because of their racial identities share their stories. 

College students are already struggling under the weight of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many are missing class, feeling disconnected, exhausted, and defeated. 

With the Supreme Court's June 24 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, those burdens have become even heavier. It's now up to colleges and universities to help female students navigate the new legal landscape with clarity and resolve.