The purpose of this narrative study is to share a comprehensive and holistic understanding of the teaching philosophies of Black women science teachers. The theoretical lenses of Critical Race Theory and Black Feminist Thought are used to explore historical and contemporary experiences of Black teachers over time, to explain how and why there are so few women in science classrooms today. The pedagogical practices of Black women of the past are explored to reveal what is possible and needed in today’s science classrooms. The qualitative study used open-ended questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and Sista Circles to center the narratives and experiences of the 32 participants, honoring their counter-stories and valuing their experiences. The findings of the dissertation are shared as two manuscripts: the first focuses on how Womanist Pedagogy is exemplified in Black women science classrooms. The second findings chapter focuses on how the participants discuss anti-racist teaching in their science classrooms as described in three frameworks: liberatory pedagogy (hooks, 1994); Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, 1994); and Historically Responsive Literacy (Muhammad, 2000). Historically relevant science pedagogy is a theoretical contribution offered by the author to the science education community to enact anti-racist practices. By highlighting the pedagogical practices of Black women science teachers, this study aims to transform the practices within science teacher education and professional development fields.

This qualitative arts-based narrative inquiry explored and analyzed the experiences of five Black women dance educators who teach with micro-interventions of care, love, and mentorship toward racial uplift in Black youth. This inquiry’s data collection included participants’ journal entries, sent weekly via email; one-on-one, semi-structured interviews with the women; and roundtable sista’ circles convened within community dialogues. Participants were prompted to share stories of their lived experiences as community members, artists, educators, and scholars. The collected data was analyzed using thematic and narrative methods, beginning with deductive coding and continuing with chunked comparisons of the women’s narratives. This study’s findings revealed that the women’s narratives as educators, persons, and community leaders, centered Blackness, care and love for themselves and their community, and Afrofuturity extant in their dance education practices. The narratives themselves revealed anecdotes of community, artistry, spirituality, culture, and healing, told and retold in the form of storytelling and poetry. This study sheds light on the unique experiences and perspectives of Black women dance educators, highlighting the importance of their contributions to the field. This study also proposes future considerations for research and practice in unearthing more stories of dance education as a micro-intervention of care, love, and mentorship toward racial uplift in Black youth. The inquiry and its results hold ramifications for and suggest a new vision for Black youth as well as educators that is a joyful Afrofuturistic dance education praxis rooted in peace, love, harmony, and #JOY.