The purpose of this study is to explore Black women’s experience of becoming and being entrepreneurs and accumulating wealth. Through interview questions that examine social capital, this study allows eight Black women to recall their ever-changing and evolving experience of entrepreneurship and economic mobility. This qualitative study goes beyond empirical data of the wealth gap and the numerical trends of Black women entrepreneurs. The study allowed for Black women to share their experience with wealth accumulation and the social factors, such as networks and relationships that attributed to starting and sustaining a business. Findings and implications will be discussed.

Despite significant research and inroads with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), disparities in HIV infection continue to widen for African American (AA) men who have sex with men (MSM). In recent times, cultural competence has been receiving increased attention as a possible factor to enhance the quality of health messaging and lessening HIV disparities. However, there is a dearth of research specifically dedicated to AA MSM and culturally competent HIV health messages. To address this gap, this qualitative research was designed to investigate the self-perceived cultural competency among HIV counselors. The theoretical framework for the project was the PEN-3 cultural model. The interview participants for the study were 10 HIV interventionists employed with health institutions that partially or entirely specialize in HIV prevention in the Richmond, Virginia, area. The analysis of the data was aided by a phenomenology analytical approach. The results revealed that cultural competence training can be one effective means to enhance the quality of health messages targeting AA MSM. This investigation has social change implications, especially in the context of developing sustainable HIV prevention interventions focused on integrating culture, thereby reducing HIV disparities in the Richmond metropolitan area. The findings may also lend insight into the various ways that health establishments can engage in culturally relevant prevention and position themselves to be leaders in informing the development of culturally competent HIV prevention messages that will aid in the acceleration of changing longstanding, ineffective prevention approaches targeting AA MSM.

The military and scholars assert that the military has created an organization that is based on merit. However, statistics show that African American military men are more likely to be subjected to the military's justice system, they are less likely to promote to the most senior enlisted and officer ranks, they are more likely to receive a negative discharge, and they are disproportionately represented on the military's death row. Despite these assertions, many African-American men succeed within the military structure. Therefore, this qualitative study was conducted to examine the stories of senior field grade warrant officer African American men to determine how they succeeded in a system where others face different problems. Data were collected through interviews with 10 African-American men in the army. Data analysis using Nvivo 12 revealed 9 themes related to motivation and resilience and occupational expectations: competence in primary functional areas, aspiration, overcoming barriers to promotion, proven leadership style, mentorship, educational opportunities, establish a career roadmap, excel through army promotion system, and faith. The findings of this study may provide policy makers, recruiters, and those aspiring to become Army warrant officers (WO) insight into what may help to increase the number of African-American men aspiring to become WOs. This study may also help guide the Army in being an organization where service members are judged solely based on merit.

African American women represent 19% of the 2.1 million living female veterans. They are the largest minority group among veteran women; however, little is known about the challenges that they face when they transition to a postsecondary learning environment. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand better how this cohort of veterans who served in the U.S. Army during military campaigns in the Middle East overcame transitional challenges to higher education. This study utilized Schlossberg's adult transition theory and identity formation as described in Josselson's theory of identity development in women. The focus of this study was on how female veterans constructed meaning as they overcame transitional challenges and coped with change. The research questions focused on understanding the perceived social, emotional, and financial needs and discerning to what extent faculty and staff helped or hindered their academic success. Purposeful sampling strategies were used to select 12 veteran African American females who attend higher education to participate in semistructured interviews. Thematic analysis of the data indicated that being a better role model and provider; facing financial difficulties; and balancing home, school, and career were among the key findings. These findings on challenges of African American female veterans' experiences can be used to inform university administrators, state employment agencies, the Army's Soldier for Life Transition Program, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This study contributes to positive social change by providing understanding to institutions of higher education regarding the transitional experiences of African American female veterans and the need to implement programs to assist them better.