April 27, 2026
ISSI graduate student Aukeem Ballard co-authored an article in the Journal of Educational Administration that amplifies enduring wisdom from the everyday experiences of women of color social justice school leaders who receive and give micro affirmations as an essential part of their asset-based leadership praxis. The authors' analysis suggests that receiving diverse types of micro affirmations sustained participants' resilience in the face of persistent racial and gendered microaggressions. Their social justice leadership praxis touches various levels of school organizations; micro affirmations serve as a key strategy for coping with a singular paradox: being punished for doing transformative leadership.