What I am currently grappling with is the risk that may come with being vulnerable with my students. That is, I am beginning to wonder about how revealing my humanity (past experiences, strengths, weaknesses, etc.) may compromise my image as a qualified scholar and legitimate academic, particularly to students and/ or colleagues that may be prejudicially skeptical of my legitimacy because I am a Black woman. Although this is an unpleasant topic, I think it is a practical concern, since I will undoubtedly interact with (either implicitly or overtly and subconsciously or consciously) racist students and/ or colleagues as a future professor. (No, we are not living in a post-racial society.)
Personally, I prefer to err on the side of assuming individuals are not racist unless given a reason to think otherwise. Thus, for the most part, I think that sharing my humanity with my students will be an invaluable community-building practice in the classroom, that may even foster mentoring relationships with some students. However, as we know from examples like the recent SAE incident at the University of Oklahoma that racism still exists on (and off) university campuses. My concern is that by revealing my personal experiences, students who are prejudiced against me because I am either Black, a woman, or a Black woman will have even less respect for me. I know a Black female professor who thinks very intentionally about requiring respect from her students (some of whom accused her of "reverse racism") by insisting that her [mostly White] students refer to her as "Dr. [Last Name]," for example. It is more pleasant to think that even racist students may value my transparency, and therefore have respect for me, but I am not certain that this is a safe assumption to make.
For me, the immediate answer is "balance" (and obviously, professionalism). The longer answer will require more reflection and consultation with current and future mentors, particularly other Black female professors.