Hidden Figures in Higher Education Policy: Exploring the Lived Experiences of Black Women Policy Experts

• In Event: Saturday Roundtable Session 11:25 am
  In Roundtable Session: Policy Futures for K–12 and Higher Education: Advancing Policy and Broadening Participation (Table 34)

Abstract

Currently, the higher education policy arena is overwhelmingly white and male. Despite this, equity-minded policy, is being informed and created by Black women. The Black women who create equity-focused higher education policy have limited visibility and more in-depth inquiry into who these Black women are and how they work is needed. The presentation will highlight gaps in the literature and raise critical questions about current scholarship and discourse on the role of Black women navigating the higher education policy space. Employing Black Feminist Thought (BFT), this critical literature review will also highlight how with limited visibility, Black women are shaping higher education policy in the areas of student aid, public benefits, college financing, accreditation, and board governance.

Author

• Denise A. Smith, Howard University