Cite a sista: how Black women at Ivy League graduate schools of education make meaning of thriving

Abstract

This study, the first of its kind uses Black Feminist Thought as a framework to explore and investigate how Black women at Ivy League graduate schools of education make meaning of thriving. There are limited studies that center the voices of Black women at Ivy League graduate schools and there are no studies that look specifically at Ivy League graduate schools of education. Semi-structured interviews grounded in narrative methodology gathered insights from eight Black women between the ages of 32 and 54, who graduated from Ivy League graduate schools of education. Three main themes and six sub-themes emerged from the study. The themes were: being a Black woman, inside and outside the classroom, and resilience and the dream. The six sub-themes were: self-presentation and identity as a Black woman, authenticity and self-care, peer-to-peer relationships and social circles, strong supportive family and Black female administrators, resilience and the dream, bouncing back and staying the course, and desire to become agents. The findings of this study have important implications for higher education institutions to create a supportive and inclusive environment that fosters the success of all students. Moreover, this study will amplify the voices of Black women, include their stories in the literature on student success factors and provide additional opportunities to cite Black women.