Dedication and AcknowledgementsThis dissertation is dedicated to my mother, my grandmother, and all of the mothers that poured into me and into others for generations. It has been a beautiful struggle to uplift the voices of those of us that have been silenced for too long.I must thank my God, my husband, and my children for being with me throughout this process and never leaving my side. I also need to thank my community, the many scholar friends that I have met along the way that have helped to shape and mold me into the scholar I am today.My Xavier University crew, Attiyya, Sonata, Danielle, and Fatmata; you believed that I would be "Dr. Beth" over 20 years ago; I will always value your sisterhood. My Harvard homies, Keishana, Hope, and Brian; you are not only my friends, but you are also my family. To the students, parents, and teachers that I have been honored to work with during my 16+ years career as an educator. It is your example of perseverance and determination that paved the path to get me here. To my countless colleagues over the years at UC Davis: MIND/CEDD, AUCD, Los Rios Community College, and SCOE what a privilege it has been to work with you all. To my Qual Scholars/FYD writing group, your brilliance sharpened my scholarship, but your friendship improved my life. Thank you to my formal advisors and informal advisors, there are too many to list, but your mentorship is valued and appreciated. Last, thanking my research assistant team, Aziza Litterjohn, Efren Rodriguez, Felipe Avila, and Jamie Bolander, your commitment to this project really made such a difference. Permission has been granted for use of published study 1 "Narratives of Single, Black Mothers using Cultural Capital to Access Autism Interventions in Schools by publisher Taylor & Francis. "It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.