[IMPORTANT: Make this 4 times longer with much more detail]
Photo: Unsplash/Alex Robinson (@aliixar) By Dr. Angel Jones April 18, 2025 – 09:00 I am a lot of things – an educator, activist, critical race scholar , published author, and so much more. But what I am not, is quiet. Which, ironically, is exactly what the world wants me to be. Instead, I am an unapologetic Afro-Latina who is outspoken about racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and other forms of oppression that continue to run rampant in our society. I use my academic research , social media platform , op-eds , and public commentary to shine a light on issues that some people desperately want to keep in the dark. And while I am proud of the work I do, it comes with challenges and consequences that have a profound impact on me. Feminist writer and civil rights activist Audre Lorde said, “I have a duty to speak the truth as I see it and share not just my triumphs, not just the things that felt good, but the pain, the intense, often unmitigated pain.” Her words inspire me to not just speak the truth, but my truth. The truth about my intense, often unmitigated pain, which is that I was born for this work, but it is simultaneously killing me. The mental, emotional, and physical strain I feel is overwhelming and sometimes debilitating. And how could it not be given the gendered and racial violence I experience on a consistent. I think about the many times I’ve had my humanity disrespected by being called a gorilla , a b*tch , a n*gger , or outright being referred to as subhuman . And please miss me with the “sticks and stones” narrative because words absolutely hurt and have psychological consequences. But what I experience goes way beyond name calling. For example, I’ve been told that I should be thrown in traffic . I also had a man threaten to hang me from a tree and burn me alive. That message rocked me to my core. Yet, despite how terrified it made me, it paled in comparison to the time I was sent a picture of (what someone THOUGHT was) my house, address, and phone number. Luckily, they tracked down the wrong Angel Jones, but their willingness to go to that extent instilled a fear in me that I had never felt before. A fear that continues to exist within me. I wake up every day knowing that fighting for the lives of my people may eventually cost me my own. Yet I still choose to do this work because I am motivated by love and an unwavering commitment to my community. Just like so many of my hermanas who came before me. One of the first women that comes to mind is Dolores Huerta , a fierce, unapologetic activist who has dedicated her life to advocacy. She began her efforts focusing on farm workers and now advocates for other issues including the Black Lives Matter movement, voter suppression , LGBTQIA+ rights, environmental justice , and education . She is also the justifiably confident creator of the phrase “Sí, se puede” because she knew that we could. Yet, despite her well-earned accolades, including the medal of freedom awarded to her by President Obama, she had also experienced underserved consequences. For example, she has been arrested over 25 times for participating in nonviolent protests . She is also a victim of police brutality. In 1988, she was beaten by a police officer at a protest in San Francisco. She suffered fractured ribs and a ruptured spleen, which had to be surgically removed. She endured unimaginable pain, yet is still here, 37 years later, still fighting the good fight. Stay connected! Subscribe now and get the latest on culture, empowerment, and more. SIGN ME UP! Este sitio está protegido por reCAPTCHA y Google Política de privacidad y Se aplican las Condiciones de servicio . Thank You! You are already subscribed to our newsletter Being outspoken is dangerous, but my experience has shown me that being silent can also have its consequences. I may be loud and proud now, but that wasn’t always the case. I started my doctoral program with the mindset that I just needed to keep my head down and survive. I had a full ride and didn’t want to risk losing my funding by advocating for myself. So, when a white woman professor implied that I only wore my natural hair because I was too stressed to straighten it, I stood quiet. When a white male professor started laughing when I told him about the racial microaggressions the women in my research study were experiencing, I stood quiet. When I was questioned multiple times by white people at school and asked to prove I belonged in the building, I stood quiet. When I was berated in front of a room full of people by a professor who admitted to being hostile while continuing to yell at me, I stood quiet. But staying quiet not only helped them by removing the need to take accountability for their actions, but it also hurt me mentally and emotionally. Audre Lorde said that our silence will not protect us and she was right. My silence eventually landed me in the hospital because I was struggling with the psychological and physiological consequences of racial microaggressions known as racial battle fatigue . The depression, anxiety, headaches, increased heart rate, and elevated blood pressure became too much for my body to handle. It was an incredibly difficult time, but it forced me to change my perspective. I decided that being quiet was no longer an option I wanted to entertain. Since then, I have found my voice and I refuse to let anyone silence me, myself included. And the outpouring of love and affirmation that I receive from the community on a regular basis lets me know that I am walking in my purpose. This was made abundantly clear to me in 2023 when I posted on Instagram asking people why they follow me . It was important for me to know if my work was making a positive impact because I can’t claim to advocate for the community without actually engaging with it. I’ll be honest – I was VERY nervous about the feedback I would receive. I knew my heart was in the right place but I wasn’t sure if my work was making a difference. To my surprise, I received over 500 comments in less than 24 hours – all of which were positive. I couldn’t believe it. There were several themes that stood out to me in their responses. One of the most common was an appreciation for how outspoken and unapologetic I am. Here are a few of the comments: “You are NOT afraid to say what is on your mind and honestly you are only saying what others FEEL.” “Because this world is a better place because of your voice and your brilliance and your bravery.” The second theme I noticed was being able to learn from me and/or grow as a person. “Your words are incredibly thought provoking and encourage both personal and social accountability. You create an informative space on the internet for those who want to do the work but struggle to find where to start. With every post, there is a widening of perspectives for your viewers.” Your labor, your education, your passion, and your conviction make me and those who listen better people.” The last theme I’ll share is the one that really makes my heart smile. These were messages from people who follow me because they feel seen and validated by my content. “I come to your page often to help me process my own emotions…you succinctly articulate and narrate truth outside of all the distraction, gaslighting and lies. I deeply appreciate it. more than that I feel you’ve saved my spirit quite a few times.” “I am aspiring to be in academia and my hope is to be as brave as you are representing and advocating for minoritized communities. Thank you for being you.” It is impossible for me to read messages like that and not want to keep going. I will continue to use my voice, my research, my pen, and my posts to unapologetically advocate for my community. I believe wholeheartedly que si se puede. We can and we will. First-gen Afro-Latina Dr. Angel Jones is an educator, activist, and critical race scholar. 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