Few educators would describe themselves as racists, but many might also admit, some grudgingly, that racism is still a major problem in our schools and communities. On FETC 2025’s Coach Leader Track, featured speaker and educational consultant Asia Lyons will shed light on a lesser-known and physically debilitating harm: “racial battle fatigue.”
“People know when they experience racism but don’t always notice their responses to it—over-eating, over-drinking, crying in their car, over-working, cutting themselves off from family, hair loss, hypertension,” says Lyons, head of Lyons Educational Consulting and host of “The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators.”
“When we experience racism, our bodies respond, even when we think we’re handling it well,” she points out.
Lyons will lead a two-hour FETC workshop, designed for Black educators, “Understanding and Mitigating the Impact of Racial Battle Fatigue.” It’s designed to be a safe place for educators of color to discuss their experiences and discuss ways to overcome racial battle fatigue.
Those strategies include getting exercise and spending time in nature, eating well, making your home a culturally affirming space with food and music and “picking your battles,” Lyons advises.
Racial battle fatigue is also a factor for administrators to consider when confronting issues of teacher retention, Lyons notes. Educators whom she has interviewed about why they left their jobs have not cited pay as a driving factor.
“Most people talk about not being believed about harms happening in schools and classrooms,” Lyons explains.
In a separate session, Lyons will detail the important strategies mentors must employ to better support educators of color. These steps include a focus on setting work-life boundaries, self-care and “what’s going well,” she notes.
Asia Lyons’ FETC 2025 sessions
Here are some of the key topics Lyons will cover at FETC 2025:
- Coaching Strategies to Support Your Mentee of Color
- Understanding and Mitigating the Impact of Racial Battle Fatigue in Educators
