A Black Woman's Triumph In Earning An Undergraduate Degree: Finessing Her Way Through The Muck and The Mire

• In Event: Situating Academic Strategies in Higher Education

Abstract

Annual graduation rate data has shown that Black women’s post-secondary undergraduate completion rates trail those of other ethnic groups, namely Asian, Hispanic, and White students at Cal State LA. Although Black women commit to Cal State LA proportionately, with respect to other groups, earning their degree on-time proves to be challenging at the stated university. This paper proposal addresses a historical foundation that serves as a catalytic agent in addressing the wounds socialized within the Black community that often impedes progress encompassing timely college completion. Earnestly considering these pitfalls will aid in formulating revised instructional practices and the development of campus support systems that can be vital in eliminating real and imposed shortfalls. The paper will consider the anti-Black/White fragility ideology through a Black Womanist theoretical lens that pervades educational systems, compounding the exclusive experiences plagued by Black women on college campuses. The use of Sister Circles (focus groups) will provide a phenomenological approach to understanding experiences on the campus. Lastly, examining current limited academy support system resources can assist in proposing an introductory-level curriculum that abides by the Ethnic Studies (Assembly Bill 1460) requirement established in the state of California for the state college system. This proposal will consider the prospectus and rework it to celebrate Black students, in particular collegiate Black women, and honor traditional African practices that are eminent in birthing students grounded in the discipline of Pan-African studies.

Author

• Jill Grayson, Cal State LA