Why Imposter Syndrome Among Women of Color Faculty Is Not a Confidence Problem—and What Campuses Can Do About It

A woman walks into a faculty meeting already knowing how she will be read. Not just for what she says, but how she says it. Not just for her ideas, but whether she sounds confident enough or polished enough. She has earned her seat at the table. She holds advanced degrees. She publishes. She teaches her students to succeed. And yet, as she settles into her chair, a familiar question surfaces quietly but persistently: “Do they believe I belong here?” According to Gadsby ( 2022 ), imposter syndrome is a phenomenon most characterized by individuals accepting negative depictions of themselves that feed their insecurities, while attributing their success to luck. However, for women of color faculty, imposter syndrome often shows up not as insecurity, but as vigilance.