Episode

S8E11: Rethinking Resilience with Dr. Keisha Bentley-Edwards

Podcast
Black Woman Leading
Published
Jan 8, 2026
Duration seconds
4086
Processing state
not_requested
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https://blackwomanleading.com/podcast
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https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/blackwomanleading/BWL_SEASON_8_DR_KIESHA.mp3?dest-id=2742914
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Markdown
/podcast/black-woman-leading-3688363/s8e11-rethinking-resilience-with-dr-keisha-bentley-edwards.md

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Summary

In this powerful episode, Laura is joined by Dr. Keisha Bentley-Edwards, Associate Professor at Duke University's School of Medicine and Co-Director of Duke CTSI Center for Research, Community Engagement, Social Impact and Trust (CREST Center), for a timely conversation on rethinking resilience. Inspired by Dr. Bentley-Edwards' article "I Am Not (Your) Superwoman, Black Girl Magic, or Beautiful Struggle: Rethinking the Resilience of Black Women and Girls," this episode explores the cultural narratives that celebrate Black women's strength while often ignoring the profound physical, emotional, and psychological costs of relentless resilience. Together, Laura and Keisha unpack the tensions between pride in endurance, cultural expectations like the "Strong Black Woman," and the growing body of research showing how these narratives contribute to health inequities across the lifespan. Dr. Bentley-Edwards offers insight into how expectations of resilience often begin in childhood for Black girls, shaping adult experiences of stress, coping, and wellbeing. The conversation moves beyond critique toward possibility—imagining models of resilience that center sustainable wellness, community care, and structural accountability, rather than individual endurance alone. Dr. Bentley-Edwards also reflects on what Black women can do in service of themselves and Black girls, and what we must collectively demand from systems, institutions, and leaders. Anchored in Season 8's theme, "Leaning Into Joy," this episode invites listeners to consider how joy, rest, alignment, and community are not indulgences, but essential counterweights to harmful expectations of strength. About Dr. Keisha Dr. Keisha Bentley-Edwards is an Associate Professor at Duke University's School of Medicine and Co-Direc…