For us by us: Horizontal peer mentorship as a pathway to Blackwomen’s doctoral completion

• In Event: Disrupted Belonging: Graduate Students Confront Equity and Exclusion

Abstract

Admission to a doctoral program is a significant achievement, yet Blackwomen doctoral students (BDS) face structural inequities, including isolation shaped by intersecting oppressions. Three BDS organized over 400 accountability group meetings, which evolved into sista circles—peer mentorship networks providing emotional, social, and academic support. Using sista circle methodology (SCM) and structural intersectionality as a framework, we examined how we navigated structural challenges to program completion. We built reciprocal relationships through sustained dialogue that supported well-being and academic progress. Findings show that Blackwomen intentionally seek culturally relevant support systems to strengthen belonging, contributing to retention and degree attainment. We introduce the S.I.D.E. Ways framework—Support Structures, Identity Validation, Distributed Learning, and Endurance—as a model for sustainable peer mentorship programs.

Authors

• Brittany L. Marshall, San Diego State University

• Dana Michelle Harris, Independent Scholar

• Jameelah R Wright, William Paterson University