Contact Dermatitis
Abstract
This poem is about a Black social scientist’s experience with being a faculty at a college of medicine. To cope with the stress of the microagressions she experiences at work, she spends time washing her hands in the bathroom. As a result, she ends up with a skin condition, similar to the skin condition her grandmother, a janitor, also had. The character of one of the university’s janitors is a composite of many of the BIPOC staff at the university who have made efforts to look after this faculty member and to offer words of encouragement.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Contact Dermatitis and Allergies
Dermatological diseases and infestations
Skin Diseases and Diabetes
Publication details
- Journal / source
- ADVANCE Journal
- Publisher
- Oregon State University
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 1–6
- Publication date
- 5 May 2026
- Language
- EN