Transformational experiences of African American women: their critical reflections as former migrants who evolved from harvest of shame to seeds of hope

Narrative inquiry was the qualitative method utilized to collect stories related to
former migrant African American females who transformed their lives from migrant
workers and found alternative career paths. Sustained poverty among migratory workers created a disenfranchised culture of uneducated citizens. A large part of this labor force was women. It was expected that this culture of poverty would perpetuate itself through generations. The universal stereotypes associated with impoverished migrants were so ingrained that overwhelmingly the majority of migrants accepted a life of poverty as prophesy. However, some former migrant African American women defied odds and rose above the cumulative effects of poverty. The major findings of this study revealed factors that significantly contributed to their success in a variety of professional careers: consistent family support, adaptive coping skills, catalyst for change, transformative learning, and meaningful relationships with non-family members, and commitment to community service. Sub-findings emerged that revealed that these additional factors also contributed to their success: value placed on education, strong belief in God, and leadership skills.