"I Gotta Prove Them Wrong": Adolescent Black Girls Unpacking the Functions of Schools

• In Event: Prove Them Wrong: Navigating Belonging Across the Academic Pipeline

Abstract

This project contributes to a growing body of research interested in better understanding Black girlhood. Much research has been done detailing the plight of urban students, but limited work about their successes (Carter, 2008; Evans-Winters, 2014). Situated in schools systemically designed to oppress them, Black girls can, and do, achieve academic success. With the grounding understanding that schools inadequately meet their needs, it is crucial to understand how adolescent Black girls define the function of schools and academic success to make the necessary changes to improve their educational experiences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six elementary and middle school-aged Black girls uncovering themes surrounding motivation and future aspirations.

Author

• Alexis Young, University of Maryland - College Park