Women, Black

In this narrative study, the racial socialization experiences of six Black women college students enrolled at predominantly white institutions (PWIs) will be explored. The purpose of this study is to understand the racial socialization experiences of Black women college students and how these experiences impact how they engage in private and public spaces. The following research questions will guide this study:
1. How are Black women college students racially socialized at PWIs?
2. How do Black women college students enrolled at PWIs engage in private and public spaces?
Gaps in the literature focus on how Black women in college engage in spaces where they are the minority and how these experiences impact their overall matriculation into higher education (Porter et al., 2020). Intersectionality (Collins, 2019; Crenshaw, 1989; Porter et al., 2020) were used to guide this dissertation study of how Black women college students experience racial socialization and engage in spaces at PWIs. This study is a significant contribution to the literature as one of the few studies that seek to understand the complexity of intersecting systems of society that impact the experiences and lives of Black women at PWIs. The findings of this study showed that Black women college students experience racism and microaggressions that impact the way in which they engage private and public spaces at PWIs.

Infant feeding is a universally recognized practice yet, it is profoundly influenced by culture. While it is well accepted that breast milk is the gold standard for infant feeding in the United States, the persistence of breastfeeding disparity among minorities, particularly among Black women in the U.S. is not well understood. According to the literature, Black mothers in the U.S. remain among the least likely to both initiate and exclusively breastfeed. Although infant feeding research related to African American women's practices has been widely explored, there is a paucity of knowledge related to the experiences and practices of foreign-born Black women in the United States. More studies are needed to examine factors influencing the infant feeding practices of foreign-born Black women. This research may identify new strategies for addressing breastfeeding disparity among Black populations. This ethnographic research employs Leininger's Cultural Care Diversity and Universality Theory and Bronfenbrenner’s (1994) Social-Ecological Model to explore influencing factors on Black Jamaican women’s infant feeding practices during the first six months of life. By applying these theories as a guide for inquiry, this study seeks to identify influencing factors on Jamaican women’s infant feeding practices in the United States. Data collection involved conducting semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 14 participants aged between 30 and 40 years. Five themes emerged from the data: (1) It’s What I Saw, It’s What I Know, (2) Me Personally, (3) Riding Out The Storm, (4) During the Storm, (5) On De Road and Outta Door. The findings highlight the need for culturally competent nursing care to promote infant health within this growing population in the United States.

This narrative research study focuses on the lived experiences of Black female doctoral students navigating predominantly White colleges and universities (PWIs) and their connections within cultural safe spaces. Through the lens of Black Feminist Theory and the application of a Black Feminist-Ecological Perspective, this study investigates how Black female doctoral students are defining cultural safe spaces and how these safe spaces support their academic and personal lives. Specifically, this study explored the narratives of nine Black female doctoral students and how they define and locate cultural safe spaces.
This study expanded on the limited existing research on Black women in doctoral programs by delving into a more nuanced look into understanding the specific dynamics of Black female cultural safe spaces and the role they play in supporting Black women pursuing doctoral degrees at PWIs. Using the Rodgers 3-R Framework, three major themes unfold from this narrative, beginning with participants’ initial experiences in their doctoral programs (recognition phase), their journey towards finding a cultural safe space after recognizing that there was a deficit in their doctoral experience (reconciliation phase), and their recounts of how they interpreted their experience after becoming a part of a cultural safe space of their own (reflection phase). Implications for future research are discussed.

Research shows that the United States of America is losing its competitive stance in the area of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) relative to other countries. One strategy that could solve this problem would be to diversify the field of STEM to include more women of color. The purpose of this narrative, qualitative research study was to explore the lived experiences of Black women with advanced/terminal degrees who are current STEM professionals in Palm Beach County.
Fourteen Black women participated in this study, which yielded four major findings that included early exposure to education’s value. importance of a strong sense of self/self-identity, challenges, and discrimination.
The hope is that these findings will provide local administrators and elected officials/decision-makers (e.g., the school district, higher education, and government agencies) with information that could advise future practices and policies to close the gap of under-represented Black women in STEM industries.

For years, black women have endured the mainstream stereotypes of the Mammy,
the Jezebel, and the Sapphire.
Backtalk is a conversation about black women using their own language
translated into a graphic visual language. It examines ways in which black women are
active agents in the social scripting of their own identities. Their complexity is visualized
using a formal semiotic system based on their individual descriptions. This new visual
language allows black women to deconstruct the limiting categorizations mainstream
culture allows them, freeing participants from category-based expectations.