This study analyzes Black students’ experiences in higher education as they pertain to racialized encounters at a minority-serving institution. After experiencing a very tangible consequence of being Black in higher education, I sought to understand the complexities of how being a Black/African American student differs from other students in an effort to improve future Black students’ experiences. This study utilizes the literary framework of Rendón’s cultural validation theory, Smith’s racial battle fatigue, and Delgado’s critical race methodology, specifically, counter-storytelling in a narrative analysis. This study answers two questions: How is support, or lack thereof, being communicated or invalidated for Black students within instructor–student relationships in higher education; and What do Black students consider memorable moments that validate or invalidate Black student community building as they navigate barriers within campus climates in higher education? The counter storytelling of Black student narratives at a minority-serving institution provides a glimpse into how Black students make sense of racial differences in higher education within instructor–student relationships and campus climates. Specifically, Black students in this study reveal their experiences with four themes: (a) Racial Battle Fatigue, (b) A Lack of Support, (c) Use of the N-Words, and (d) A Yearning for Black Community. This study concludes with a new pedagogical model (BREACH) as a framework for improving instructor–student relations. Keywords: Black students, instruction, critical race, racial battle fatigue, minority-serving institution
