Who's Zoomin' Who? Exploring Stories of Black Women Doctoral Degree Completers and Their Virtual "Homeplace"

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session Seventeen
  In Roundtable Session: Destabilizing the White Gaze: Stories of Black Women and Underrepresented Faculty and Doctoral Students (Table 3)

Abstract

Doctoral degree completion is fraught with barriers for Black women. The objective of this study is to explore the lived experiences and support systems of Black women who completed doctoral programs. Through five narratives and one focus group, the authors (including their dissertation advisor) share findings related to a) their dissertation preparation barriers, b) Black women in PWI doctoral spaces, and c) the emergence of their digital homeplace (hooks, 1990). Policy implications include a) alignment between doctoral programs and dissertation completion for contemporary adult lives, b) a climate shift toward the cultural wealth of Black women representing 60 percent of today’s Black doctoral degree recipients, and c) the use of digital platforms for Black women to shelter, resist, and thrive.

Authors

• Raquel Farmer-Hinton, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
  Presenting Author

• Toshiba Adams, Milwaukee Area Technical College
  Presenting Author

• Patricia M Closson, St. Charles High School
  Presenting Author

• Michele Turner, Madison College
  Presenting Author

• Jendayi Mbalia, The Literacy Lab
  Presenting Author