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Unapologetically Black: A Sista Circle Study Highlighting the Brilliant, Bold, and Brave Leadership Approaches of Black Women in Student Affairs

Karikari, Shamika Nicole
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7249-9697
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1657661222591421

Abstract Details

2022, Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, Educational Leadership.
This research is unapologetically Black. It is for and about Black women and centers Black women in all aspects of the study. Historically, Black women have been either invisible or highly visible in higher education (Thomas & Hollenshead, 2001; Turner, 2008), leaving scholars to wonder: Where do Black women fit in? How are Black women represented? Where is their space in higher education? Over time, Black women have necessarily formed their own spaces where they can be themselves and support one another (Patton & Jordan, 2017; Smith, 1995). For that reason, this study is rooted in Black women in community. Specifically, this research created space for Black women in student affairs to highlight their unique experiences and perspectives in regard to leadership. The purpose of this qualitative study was to center the experiences of Black women in student affairs and explore how they approach leadership given their race and gender. The research question that guided this study was: How do Black women in student affairs at predominantly white institutions understand and practice leadership? I broadly defined Black women’s leadership so that it did not need to be connected to a specific position; the focus was on how Black women saw themselves as leaders rather than focusing on a specific position. Sista circle methodology (Johnson, 2015), grounded in Black feminist thought (Collins, 2009) was used to address the research question. Participants (sista scholars) engaged in four in-person sista circles in which they shared about their experience as Black women leaders in higher education and, and in doing so, developed community. Three themes about Black women leadership in student affairs emerged: (1) role modeling as a Black woman leader; (2) barriers to leading as a Black woman; and (3) the communal nature of leadership for Black women. These findings inform research by expanding upon the concepts of Black Feminist Leadership (Abdullah, 2007; McLane-Davison, 2015, 2018) and Black Feminist Methodology (Patterson et al., 2016). The study also offers implications for practice that support Black women leaders in higher education settings. Through Black feminist thought and sista circle methodology, this study highlighted the value of Black women coming together and the power that exists within them.
Elisa Abes (Advisor)
151 p.
Educational Leadership
Black women; Sista Circle Methodology; Black Feminist Leadership; Black Feminist Methodology; Student Affairs

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Karikari, S. N. (2022). Unapologetically Black: A Sista Circle Study Highlighting the Brilliant, Bold, and Brave Leadership Approaches of Black Women in Student Affairs [Doctoral dissertation, Miami University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1657661222591421

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Karikari, Shamika. Unapologetically Black: A Sista Circle Study Highlighting the Brilliant, Bold, and Brave Leadership Approaches of Black Women in Student Affairs. 2022. Miami University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1657661222591421.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Karikari, Shamika. "Unapologetically Black: A Sista Circle Study Highlighting the Brilliant, Bold, and Brave Leadership Approaches of Black Women in Student Affairs." Doctoral dissertation, Miami University, 2022. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1657661222591421

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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© 2022, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Miami University and OhioLINK.