Divided in Space, United in Vision: A Case Study of Partnership In Fugitive Spaces in Politically Divided Times

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 11:45 am - Gold 4
  In Roundtable Session: From Protection to Possibility: Policy, Wellness, and the Making of Safe Spaces in Education

Abstract

Black students face persistent challenges throughout their K-12 education, which continues into their postsecondary experiences. In response, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have historically operated as safe havens for Black students, who experience academic achievement and overall satisfaction at these institutions (Outcalt, 2002; Bonous-Hammarth and Boatsman, 1996). Nevertheless, HBCUs suffer from institutional racism (Britton, 2022) that places constraints on the ways they can provide leadership development for undergraduates. This study examines how a community-based organization (CBO) serves as a fugitive space to combat such constraints through a case study analysis. Early insights suggest that The Fugitive Project employs identity-affirming programming and communal practices to create fugitive spaces, serving as an alternative for Black students to thrive despite institutional constraints.

Author

• Deborah Euzebio, University of Maryland