Working in academia for women of color is a labor of love. This essay chronicles five women who have been challenged by their roles as purveyors of social justice, equity and access for children, youth and adults in higher education. These sojourners of truth grapple with the realities of their work in academia and how their embodiment remains a shadow against the ivory tower. Grounded in an autoethnographic approach, the voices of these women represent their authentic interpretations and experiences in academia. The conclusions find that social justice needs to be deliberately integrated into education, because this is one path to educating all.