Research suggests that Black women living in the United States are not engaging in sufficient physical activity, which is a major factor negatively impacting their health outcomes. Black Girls Run (BGR) is a targeted national health movement using the capacity of social networking technology as a tool to interact with and inspire Black women to live healthy through running. Literature lacked the voice and perspective of Black women who were embracing the innovation of technology to positively improve their health behaviors. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to gain a better understanding of the composite experiences of women in BGR and how they utilize social networking technology to improve their physical activity. Social cognitive theory provided the theoretical framework. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 13 women participants of BGR, who were selected using purposive sampling technique. Data were transcribed, organized, analyzed, and coded into common themes with the support of Nvivo 11 software. The findings revealed that social networking served as a tool that the women in BGR used to connect, encourage, and motivate physical activity, and it thereby helped to support their social and physical well-being. Study findings may contribute to positive social change by increasing knowledge and awareness of how technology can be used to promote healthy behaviors among Black women. This study may also provide useful information to stakeholders interested in health promotion strategies and programs to reduce the health disparity gap for Black women in the United States.

Despite changes in the law and efforts by organizational diversity practitioners to expand leadership opportunities for people of color, there is still a sharp contrast in the ratio of white leaders to leaders of color. While much research exists regarding the diversity disparity in leadership, there is little research on factors that influence the motivation to lead. The purpose of this correlational study was to test critical race and leader categorization theories by comparing how the independent variables of white privilege, organizational belongingness, and racial stereotypes affected the dependent variable of motivation to lead of black American versus white American survey respondents. It was hypothesized that the independent variables correlated stronger for white Americans than for black Americans in predicting the motivation to lead. A self-selected sample of 179 adults, drawn from various industries in the United States, completed a voluntary, online survey. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was designed to operationalize study variables and was adapted from existing instruments. Pearson correlations and a multiple linear regression aided in statistically understanding the variables' relationships. Results indicated that effects of white privilege and racial stereotypes had a statistically significant relationship with motivation to lead for black Americans, and organizational belongingness did not. Results also indicated that effects of racial stereotypes had a significant relationship with motivation to lead for the white American population while the other variables did not. This study has implications for positive social change by not only adding a sharper focus on the factors necessary for leaders of color to be successful, but also providing diversity practitioners a north star to change the leadership landscape.

Thesis (M.S.)--Miami University, Dept. of Family Studies and Social Work, 2004. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 54-57).

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