Holding Space and Staying True

“Be yourself. Even when it’s costly. Especially when it’s costly.”

 – Dr. Rachelle Smith

I recently had the extraordinary privilege of sitting down with Dr. Rachelle Smith—counselor, scholar, higher education leader, wife, mother, and advocate for justice—to discuss her journey in academia as a Black woman, her research on inclusive excellence, and the life values that sustain her.

What unfolded was far more than a professional interview. It was a deeply human conversation about faith, family, leadership, and the emotional labor of working in spaces that were never built for you. We laughed, reflected, explored painful truths, and imagined hopeful futures. And in the end, I walked away profoundly moved—not only by her brilliance but by her heart.

This article is both a tribute to that conversation and an invitation to listen deeply to the voices of Black women leading transformation in quiet, consistent, and courageous ways.

“I Didn’t Plan to Be Here, But I Belong Here”: Rachelle’s Unexpected Calling into Counseling

Dr. Smith didn’t set out to become a counselor. Like many of us, her journey was shaped more by the quiet nudges of life than a five-year plan. Yet when she found the field, she recognized something familiar: a place where deep listening, empathy, and the honoring of lived experience were not just welcomed—they were necessary.

“I fell in love with counseling,” she shared. “It gave me language for what I had always done naturally.”

Her deep respect for stories—especially the ones people don’t always feel safe to tell—has become a guiding thread in her work, whether she’s mentoring students, assessing institutional equity, or parenting her children.

And while her professional ascent has been marked by impressive accomplishments, it’s her ability to remain grounded in her values that most stood out to me during our conversation.

The Invisible Burden: What It Means to Be a Black Woman in Academia

There’s a particular kind of emotional labor that comes with being a Black woman in predominantly white academic spaces—one that Dr. Smith articulated with both candor and clarity.

“There’s this constant filtering that people do,” she explained. “They see my credentials, my title, my work—and they still interpret it through their preconceived ideas of what a Black woman is.”

She recalled moments of being underestimated, silenced, or read as “aggressive” when simply asserting boundaries. Code-switching—adjusting how she spoke, dressed, or presented herself—offered no guarantee of safety or acceptance.

“I realized,” she said, “that no amount of self-censoring could stop people from seeing me through their own lens. So why not just be authentic?”

That authenticity has become both her armor and her invitation to others. Rather than contorting herself to fit institutions, Rachelle challenges institutions to stretch toward her—and toward others who’ve historically been excluded.

Her courage to “stay true, even when it’s costly” is one of the most powerful leadership lessons I’ve ever encountered.

Faith, Family, and the Power of Saying “No”

Our conversation took a beautiful turn as we talked about balance. Dr. Smith is not only a respected scholar and administrator—she’s also a wife and a mother. During the pandemic, like many working parents, she had a reckoning.

“I realized how much I had been absent—not just physically, but emotionally,” she said. “I was giving everything to work and leaving scraps for the people who mattered most.”

The impact was sobering. And liberating.

Rachelle began practicing the sacred art of saying “no.” She re-centered her family, her health, her spiritual life. She and her husband—a fellow public servant—created a shared vision for their home and careers, treating their marriage like a collaborative project grounded in mutual support and clear communication.

“We don’t compete with each other’s success,” she told me. “We make room for it.”

In an era where hustle culture often glorifies burnout, Dr. Smith’s approach offers something revolutionary: wholeness over performance, presence over applause.

Respecting the Pain of Others: A Call to Conscious Allyship

One story Rachelle shared has stayed with me. She was at the gym, and overheard another woman speaking on her cellphone about the injustices she was witnessing unfold all around her in today's political climate. The conversation reminded Rachelle that there are allies everywhere that we may not even be aware of. 

Her point  was to emphasize the importance of active listening and standing up for others, even when it’s uncomfortable. Rachelle believes leadership—and indeed humanity—requires us to get proximate to the pain of others and not look away.

Whether in her leadership role or in everyday conversations, she models this proximity. She doesn’t wait for people to “deserve” empathy. She simply offers it, as a radical act of care.

Inclusive Excellence: Rachelle’s Research and Institutional Courage

Dr. Smith’s academic research is as bold as it is brilliant.

Drawing on Dr. William Cross’s theory of Nigrescence—which maps out the identity development of Black individuals—Rachelle had the insight to apply this framework to institutions themselves. She asked: What does it look like for a university to go through identity development? Can a campus experience a kind of awakening around race, inclusion, and equity?

Her framework for Inclusive Excellence Assessment offered a new lens: rather than assessing equity in terms of outputs or checkboxes, she examined how deeply an institution had internalized justice at the identity level.

While some institutions embraced her model, others resisted. Her work challenged the status quo—and that made people uncomfortable.

Still, she presses on. She knows her research has the power to transform not just policies, but hearts.

Advice to Women of Color: “Don’t Stay in Spaces That Don’t Value You”

As we neared the end of our conversation, I asked Rachelle what wisdom she might offer to other women of color navigating spaces where their brilliance is often ignored or resisted.

Her response was gentle but firm.

“Don’t tolerate spaces that don’t value you. Seek out appreciation, not just tolerance. And talk to God about everything—your health, your relationships, your career. Let Him be part of it all.”

Her words reminded me of a gospel song I heard as a child—one that spoke of God’s attentive love for even the smallest sparrow. In Rachelle’s theology, there is no area too mundane or too messy for divine attention. And that’s exactly what makes her leadership so rare: it is deeply spiritual, deeply rooted.

Because stories like Rachelle’s matter. They are not only medicine for the soul—they are maps for the road ahead.

Final Words

Dr. Rachelle Smith is a rare kind of leader—unapologetically brilliant, deeply grounded, and fiercely compassionate. She reminds us that leadership is not about climbing ladders, but about clearing paths. Not about being palatable, but about being true.

In a world that so often asks Black women to shrink, to defer, or to prove their worth, Rachelle offers a liberating alternative: Be who you are. Lead with love. Say no when you need to. And never let someone else’s comfort cost you your voice.

I’m grateful beyond words for her wisdom, and I can’t wait for you to hear more when the full podcast episode is released. Until then, I hope this reflection stirs something in you—as it did in me.

Let’s keep building spaces where truth, joy, and justice are not just welcome—but expected.

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