 The COVID-19 pandemic and the concurrent push for racial justice reform have created a unique context wherein systemic racism is being recognized as the root cause of both societal ills. This confluence of issues has had a particularly profound effect on Black populations who are disproportionately affected by the pandemic and racial injustices. Institutions have responded with diversity, equity, and inclusion, DEI efforts, but these efforts can be taxing on Black faculty members due to the dual pandemic climate. The time and effort tax can lead to burn out and decreased career advancement opportunities which can further perpetuate the lack of diversity in higher education and medicine. To address this issue, we propose an operational framework for understanding the interconnected influence of systemic racism, the dual pandemics, and DEI work on the experience of Black faculty. This article was authored by Tracy M. Lane, Urena S. Clarke, Nihal E. Mohamed, and others.