Chapter 5 Managing the Classroom as a Military Veteran and Graduate Instructor: “Please Don’t Call Me by My First Name” Dianna N. Watkins-Dickerson Incidents characterized as failed diversity and inclusion moments in a uni- versity setting are experienced by Black women on an almost daily basis, whether directly or indirectly. They vary between poor course evaluations due to racialized notions, to lack of institutional advancement to full pro- fessorship and administrative leadership (Ross, 2013). Black female aca- demics also tend to have increased service expectations and perform a disproportionate amount of invisible labor while experiencing general overwork and more, especially at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) of higher learning (Collins, 1986; Hendrix, 1997). Harley (2008) contends, “[u]nlike the white female counterparts in the academy, the experiences of Black women cannot and should not be e-raced or driven into narratives considering sexism without deciphering the ways in which race colors their realities” (p. 20). This is to say that not considering the intersections of race, class, and gender takes away from the complexity of the tensions they face. Dismissing race eradicates the particularities of Black women’s experiences. To this end, Harley (2008) continues by saying, “[to] be deprivileged illustrates why African American women faculty are metaphorically referred to as the maids of academe” (p. 20). Citing McKay (1997) and Kawewe (1997), Harley contends that the: Maid syndrome becomes more evident when African American women remain at PWIS, where many abuses constantly beset their sensitiveness. In PWIs, misconceptions and stereotypes about race and gender lead to the (mis)treatment of and interaction with African American women as a label, thus devaluing the real person behind the stigma and encouraging self- fulflling prophesies by the gender and race that hold power. Specifcally, African American women are subjected to ‘gendered racism.’ (p. 20)