Ep. 112: Dr. Noelle Chaddock on Starting College at 32, Soul Healing, and Performative Allyship

Dr. Noelle Chaddock

Ph.D. in philosophy,

Binghamton University

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The language we use matters, especially if we want to enact change upon systemically racist power structures. In today’s episode, we get together with Dr. Noelle Chaddock who received her Ph.D. in philosophy from Binghamton University and serves as the Vice President of Equity and Inclusion at Bates College. She teaches and publishes critical race theory, Black feminism, and Black dramaturgy and theory. In our conversation, Dr. Chaddock dives straight into her experiences as a transracial adoptee and how those circumstances affected her. Dr. Chaddock shares her non-traditional route to earning her Ph.D. and recounts the story of how a Binghamton University professor encouraged her to pursue a degree, not because she was lacking in skills, but for her self-image and enrichment. Tuning in you’ll hear about Dr. Chaddock’s work in higher education administration and the circumstances that led her to it. Later, we discuss Dr. Chaddock’s book Antagonizing White Feminism: Intersectionality's Critique of Women's Studies and the Academy and its insights into instances of performative allyship. She explains why she no longer believes in white allyship and why co-conspiracy is a viable alternative. She also unpacks how she came to reject the concept of self-care and instead embraced the notion of healing, and explains how Soul Healing can be used to address collective racial trauma. It was an honor having Dr. Chaddock on our show and we loved talking with her! We are sure you will find the conversation every bit as stimulating and thought-provoking as we did!

Connect with Dr. Noelle Chaddock on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Meet today’s guest, Dr. Noelle Chaddock.

• Dr. Chaddock’s experience of growing up as a transracial adoptee and why she was motivated to work with other transracial adoptees.

• Why a Binghamton University professor encouraged Dr. Chaddock to pursue a degree.

• Dr. Chaddock shares how her first experience with a queer professor of color assisted her on her journey.

• How Dr. Chaddock was supported by a group of queer women of color during her studies.

• The appreciation that Dr. Chaddock feels in retrospect for individuals who helped her on her path.

• How Dr. Chaddock managed her time as a mother, student, and teacher.

• How Dr. Chaddock’s lived experiences of being a young mother facing adversity gave her the insight and tools to support young students who were undergoing similar challenges.

• The process of transitioning from social work to becoming deeply involved in higher education administration.

• Dr. Chaddock talks about the tremendous pressure she was under during her six years of study.

• How Dr. Chaddock balances the needs of students with the priorities of academic institutions as Vice President for Equity and Inclusion.

• How the holistic and fiscal health of an institution directly affects its students.

• The idea of holistic student support and services and getting colleagues from across the institution to move across silos, treating students as comprehensive wholes.

• How Bates University handled the COVID 19 pandemic.

• Dr. Chaddock’s book Antagonizing White Feminism and its insights into instances of performative allyship.

• The concept of self-care versus communal care and what Dr. Chaddock learned from observing her white colleagues’ behavior after the 2016 election and again during the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020.

• Dr. Chaddock’s belief that change cannot take place without cross-cultural participation.

• What distinguishes co-conspiracy from allyship: when people are willing to take on the burden of facing real risks and consequences.

• The definition of soul healing and how it can be used to address collective racial trauma.

• How Dr. Chaddock came to the notion of healing out of a rejection of self-care.

• Why healing requires truth and acknowledgment.

• How The Harambe Collective is facilitating collective healing and supporting womxn of color.

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The Cohort Sistas Podcast brings to life the stories, struggles, and successes of Black women with doctoral degrees and their lives beyond the degree. If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community, sign up to do so here, and if you are looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our partnerships page. Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don’t forget to follow The Cohort Sistas Podcast, rate the show, and leave us a quick review.