Sisters Leading the Charge: Black Graduate Student Organization Serving as Counter-Spaces

• In Event: Women, Parenthood, and College Access

Abstract

Black women hold a unique “outside-within” position in academia, wherein they are inside the academy, but simultaneously outsiders because of their gender and racial identities (Jones et al., 2013; Shavers & Moore, 2019). Thus, scholars have called attention to the ways in which Black women are supported and retained in academia (Fries-Britt & Kelly, 2005; Patton,2009). Guided by Black feminist thought, this paper discusses the role of Black graduate student organizations in supporting and retaining two Black women doctoral students. Through the sharing of our scholarly personal narratives, this paper presents how and why we joined our organization, why we pursued leadership positions within the organization, and the role of the organization in facilitating our peer mentorship throughout our doctoral journeys.

Authors

• Chelsea T Smith, North Carolina State University

• Ezinne Ofoegbu, Santa Clara University