<p> The study examined how Black lesbian women perceive risks to their sexual health and how community discourse shapes these perceptions. Data from interviews with 28 Black lesbian women in Southern California were qualitatively analyzed and 10 were used in this study. It was expected that their sexual health risk perceptions would be shaped by discourse they heard from their peers in their communities. Results showed that participants define sexual health in terms of both psychological and physical aspects. Also, results showed that beliefs in physiological likelihood, generational experiences, and gender expression differences in attitudes toward casual sex shape how participants perceive risks to their sexual health. Results showed that community discourse did not directly shape risk perceptions, rather participants expressed processes of contradiction, negotiation, and disidentification in this relationship. The importance of these findings on resources for this community is also discussed. </p>

<p> This study examined sociocultural predictors of mental health treatment utilization among a combined clinical and community sample of Black older adults experiencing depression, anxiety and/ or traumatic events. A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study that investigated the prevalence of depression and the factors associated with it among African Americans, and Caribbean Blacks over the age of 55 living in New York City using binominal logistic regression analyses. The current study investigated how the sociocultural factors of ethnicity, mental health beliefs, ethnic identity, spirituality, and religiosity predicted utilization of formal and informal mental health treatment services. The findings highlight the significance of ethnicity, depression, mental health beliefs and spirituality as predictors of utilization of mental health services. Caribbean Black older adults underutilized mental health treatment services of any type. The current study suggests that attitudes and beliefs about mental illness and health practices is a factor that should been taken into account by clinicians when assessing, diagnosing, treating and trying to maintain adherence to services of older Black adults. </p>

<p>Programs for gifted students have been criticized for narrowly defining giftedness as merely cognitive or academic performance. Teacher referrals are usually an important component of identifying gifted students. Teacher perceptions, low expectations, and lack of cultural competence are perceived as barriers to the access of Gifted and Talented Education programs for African American students. This study examined the impact of teachers&rsquo; knowledge of Gardner&rsquo;s Multiple Intelligence Theory (Gardner, 1983, 2006, 2011) on their perception of giftedness in the referral of African American students to Gifted and Talented Education programs. Research questions were: (a) What is teachers&rsquo; knowledge of the current district criteria for referral of students to Gifted and Talented programs? (b) Are there differences in the conceptions of referral criteria of teachers with training in MI Theory vs. teachers without training in MI Theory? (c) Are there differences in teacher attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs on giftedness in teachers having training in MI Theory vs. teachers having no training in MI Theory? (d) How do cultural factors impact teacher perceptions of giftedness in African American students, in teachers with training in MI Theory vs. teachers without training in MI Theory, and the referral of African American students to Gifted and Talented Education programs? Using a mixed-methods approach, a quasi-experimental design and qualitative inquiry were utilized. Findings indicated that all teachers demonstrated limited knowledge of district referral criteria. However, teachers having MI Theory training demonstrated greater knowledge of the district&rsquo;s Alternative Referral and Identification Criteria. Conceptual differences were found in the need for alternative pathways such as peer nominations. Findings noted differences for teachers having training in MI Theory with greater knowledge of characteristics of giftedness and the impact of that knowledge on cultural factors relating to students&rsquo; use of non-standard English in the perception of giftedness. Greater focus on leadership is needed in the current federal definition of giftedness. Overall, findings suggested that training in Multiple Intelligence Theory provides a framework for greater understanding of the multifaceted attributes of intelligence, which may result in greater opportunities to identify non-traditional areas of giftedness in African American students. </p>

<p> Women make up half of the workforce in America. Despite this, in traditional organizations, leadership roles are overwhelmingly held by men. Of the small number of African American women employed in the workforce, 30% hold professional or management positions and women in general are more educated, qualified and transformational than their male counterparts. Despite this, African American female leaders experience organizational barriers, social labeling, and biases driven by their intersectionality that hinders their career opportunities. Black feminist research suggests that social norms place women in subordinate roles in comparison to men in society. African American women face such social barriers at a higher level given additional societal hardships driven by racism. Literature on African American female leadership outlines the barriers, but there is a limited amount of literature that seeks to appreciate Black female leadership as it relates to their style characteristics, expertise, and experience within their organizations regarding their leadership styles and the resilience required to maintain success in their positions. In order to add to the body of research in this area, this study explored the leadership characteristics, barriers, success strategies and resilience of African American female leaders through the lenses of these women. This study assessed leadership and resilience in African American females who hold higher level positions of leadership in traditionally White, male dominated industries. The purpose of the research was to identify those factors that increase achievement, advancement and success in high ranking positions despite the documented adversities associated with African American women, who hold leadership positions. The goal was to provide a guide for women who aspire towards entering particular fields and holding similar leadership positions and to provide an outline of their success in order to offer a blueprint for organizational strategies to promote diversity and advancement for women. </p>

<p> This case study examined how the campus culture influences the existence of a Black cultural center and a multicultural center at a predominantly White university. A qualitative ethnography was conducted using focus group interviews, personal interviews, archival research, and anecdotal observation. The results of the study identified five themes: (a) from isolation to insulation, (b) opportunities for involvement, (c) the perception problem, (d) challenges of change, and (e) leadership commitment.</p><p> A Pinchback model of relevance for cultural centers for predominantly White campuses was created for practitioners and administrators seeking ideas for making cultural centers relevant at their respective institutions. The model features external forces that influence campus culture and the forces within the campus culture that influence the cultural centers. The role of the cultural center is shown as broadening the difficult conversations around race, diversity, and inclusion.</p>

<p> The mother-daughter relationship holds a special place in the lives of African American women, given the rich history of women of African descent and the complexities of female relationships. However, few studies have discussed the evolution of this relationship and what it means in the lives of African American mothers and daughters. Using relational-cultural theory (RCT) and Black feminist theory, this qualitative grounded theory study described the experiences and evolution of the African American mother-daughter relationship. A sample of 10 mother-daughter dyads was interviewed together about their relationship. Research questions addressed how African American mothers and daughters define, maintain, and value their relationships with one another. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed. Themes generated from the data included the relationship undergoing ups and downs, including changes and fluctuations as the pair maintains an enduring bond; unconditional love; legacy; ongoing support; care; learning and spending time together; the role of communication; being available; and mutual acceptance. The results provide insight into the unique evolution of the African American mother-daughter relationship and provide a theoretical foundation for understanding how this relationship develops, evolves, and is maintained. Mental health clinicians who read this study may gain greater awareness of and sensitivity toward African American mother-daughter relationships, as well as insight into how these fluid relationships function. By applying this knowledge to their practice, they may support clients' healthy personal development and interpersonal growth.</p>

<p> This study examines the development of first-generation African American and Latino college students' sociopolitical consciousness in the context of their learning of sociology as a component of their liberal education studies. Given the paucity of research on how college students develop sociopolitical consciousness, this study addresses: (1) the nature of first-generation undergraduate African American and Latino students' sociopolitical consciousness at point of entry to college-level study of introductory sociology, (2) college students' sociopolitical consciousness prior to (or early in) their interaction with sociological ideas, (3) changes that may occur in these students' sociopolitical consciousness as they interact with sociological ideas, (4) classroom activities that may be related to changes experienced by the students, and (5) acts, reflective of sociopolitical consciousness, in which the students engage. </p><p> Conducted at an urban university with high racial and ethnic diversity, the study featured documentation and analysis of 18 focal students' learning in two sections of a sociology class. The study relies on interviews with the focal students about their learning and thinking in and out of class, interviews with instructors and administrators, class observations, analysis of students' written work and other class materials including textbooks, and review of institutional and curricular documents. </p><p> Study findings portray undergraduates' sociopolitical consciousness as comprised of <i>awareness</i> and <i>understanding</i> of sociopolitical forces. Students' awareness and understanding may vary by degree (amount of) and topic. College students enter the classroom already in possession of some sociopolitical consciousness which may be viewed as part of their prior knowledge. Study findings indicate that students' sociopolitical consciousness intensifies and at times is transformed as students encounter sociological subject matter. Two aspects of the classroom may contribute to developing undergraduates' sociopolitical consciousness: (1) in-class discussions and (2) professors offering examples during their teaching relevant to students' interests. The study suggests that students' acts of analysis and/or critique, and their acts of involvement, can contribute to their <i>sociopolitical capacity</i>&mdash;an amalgamation of consciousness and acts. Implications and ideas for future research follow.</p>

<p> As African American (AA) breast cancer survivors live longer with the disease, much attention should be directed to quality of life and factors influencing it. An understanding of survivors&rsquo; belief that God controls their health and their social support needs is necessary as an effort to develop health care services and programs that are culturally sensitive. This study was the first to explore the association between an individual&rsquo;s belief that God controls their health, social support and quality of life among AA breast cancer survivors. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between social support, God Locus of Health Control (GLHC) and quality of life (QoL) among the survivors residing in Illinois. This study&rsquo;s alternative hypotheses predicted after controlling for age, location of residence, marital status, and time since diagnosis, social support and GLHC, combined and individually, would positively correlate to QoL for AA breast cancer survivors. </p><p> The study used a descriptive, correlational and quantitative design by testing the variables using hierarchical multiple regression and Pearson correlation. A convenience sample of 92 AA women was recruited from a community hospital, a Federally Qualified Health Centers, a beauty shop, two support groups, a member association that advocates for health care disparity, and local newspapers. Quantitative measures included Social Support Questionnaire (Northouse, 1988), GLHC scale (Wallston et al., 1999), Quality of Life Index &ndash; Cancer Version III (QLI &ndash; CV III) (Ferrans, 1990), and Demographic Characteristics form created by researcher.</p><p> Results concluded QoL was not affected by social support and GLHC, combined, and GLHC, individually. However, social support was a predictor of QoL. Statistically significant relationships were found between social support, QoL and its domains: a) health and functioning subscale, b) social and economic subscale, c) psychological/spiritual subscale and d) family subscale. Statistically significant relationships were not found between GLHC and QoL and its domains. The mean score for social support and GLHC scales were low compared to prior study results. The QLI &ndash; CV III mean score was moderately high compared to other study results. </p><p> Additional findings concluded women residing in the suburb had statistically significant higher mean QoL than those living in the rural or urban area of Illinois. Also, married women in this sample had a higher mean QoL than unmarried women. Although AA breast cancer survivors&rsquo; QoL was not increased by their belief that God controlled their health and the mean social support score was low, the study results provided valuable information for future research and the development of social support programs that are culturally sensitive.</p>

<p> This research seeks to understand the experiences of African American female undergraduates in STEM. It investigates how familial factors and science identity formation characteristics influence persistence in STEM while considering the duality of African American women's status in society. This phenomenological study was designed using critical race feminism as the theoretical framework to answer the following questions: 1) What role does family play in the experiences of African American women undergraduate STEM majors who attended two universities in the UNC system? 2) What factors impact the formation of science identity for African American women undergraduate STEM majors who attended two universities in the UNC system?</p><p> Purposive sampling was used to select the participants for this study. The researcher conducted in-depth interviews with 10 African American female undergraduate STEM major from a predominantly White and a historically Black institution with the state of North Carolina public university system. Findings suggest that African American families and science identity formation influence the STEM experiences of the African American females interviewed in this study. The following five themes emerged from the findings: (1) independence, (2) support, (3) pressure to succeed, (4) adaptations, and (5) race and gender. </p><p> This study contributes to the literature on African American female students in STEM higher education. The findings of this study produced knowledge regarding policies and practices that can lead to greater academic success and persistence of African American females in higher education in general, and STEM majors in particular. Colleges and universities may benefit from the findings of this study in a way that allows them to develop and sustain programs and policies that attend to the particular concerns and needs of African American women on their campuses. Finally, this research informs both current and future African American female STEM students so that they might benefit from the knowledge of the experiences of others in STEM-related fields. As a result, other African American female students might be enlightened by these stories and have the confidence to pursue a STEM degree of their own.</p>

<p>"Capitalizing Subjects: Free African-Descended Women of Means in Xalapa, Veracruz during the Long Seventeenth Century" explores the socioeconomic worlds of free women of means. I find that they owned slaves, engaged in cross-caste relations, managed their estates, maintained profitable social networks with other regional elites, and attempted to secure the economic futures of their children. Through an examination of notarial, ecclesiastical, and viceregal sources, I highlight the significant role this group played in the local economy and social landscape. My work demonstrates that free women of African descent engaged in specific types of economic endeavors that spoke to their investments in particular kinds of capital (economic, social, and cultural) that allowed them greater visibility and social legitimacy than previously documented. This dissertation, further, challenges a historiography that has over-emphasized the roles of race and gender in determining the lives of all people of African descent in colonial Latin America.</p> / Dissertation