(2023). Connecting Counterspaces and Community Cultural Wealth in a Professional Development Program. Race, Ethnicity and Education, v26 n6 p772-792. This qualitative study analyzes the relationship between two concepts from critical race theory — counterspaces and community cultural wealth. Counterspaces are supportive, identity-affirming community spaces, while community cultural wealth highlights the importance of the knowledge, skills, and networks used by individuals belonging to marginalized groups to successfully navigate academia. This study investigates the hypothesis that the processes operating within counterspaces serve to strengthen an individual's access to their community cultural wealth. The study site is BRAINS, a U.S.-based professional development program for early-career academic neuroscientists from underrepresented groups. Findings revealed that two types of counterspace processes (narrative identity work and direct relational transactions) and three types of community cultural wealth (aspirational capital, social capital, and navigational capital) are most salient within BRAINS. After examining the complex… [Direct]
(2023). Mapping Immigrant Children's Ethnoracialized Identities in Canada: K-5 Muslim Students Share Stories with Their Mothers. Canadian Journal of Education, v46 n4 p950-979. This study investigates the schooling experiences of K-5 Muslim immigrant children to address the underexplored area of post-migration schooling within the Canadian context. Centered on the stories K-5 children share with their mothers, the study focuses on students' identity formation, sense of belonging, and academic performance. Theoretically grounded in critical race theory and decolonial education as conceptual frameworks, the research explores the multi-dimensional experiences of immigrant children, moving beyond the monolithic narratives often enacted by dominant power structures. Utilizing a qualitative methodological approach, the study engages 10 Muslim-identifying mothers in semi-structured interviews, revealing insights about the role of mothers as knowledge holders and validating K-5 immigrant students' schooling experiences. Findings indicate key themes including subtractive teacher practices, subversive allyship, racialization, marginalization, and the interplay of… [Direct]
(2023). Running from Accreditors Means Running from Accountability: Who Is Left with the Tab?. Council for Higher Education Accreditation Recent state legislative developments have brought accreditation to the forefront of public higher education conversations. Some accreditation critics state that accreditors have too much influence in higher education suggesting that their efforts may affect institutional autonomy and that they are allegedly structured as legalized monopolies answering to no one (Gillen et al., 2010). There are similar allegations from individuals who, for example, oppose issues focused on critical race theory and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. This has led to some individuals referencing accreditors as agents of the progressive or "woke" movement to influence or conform colleges to a certain ideology. Some have even begun an effort to "de-accredit the accreditors." In this paper, Kathleen Rzucidlo discusses the recognition of accrediting organizations by Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and US Department of Education (ED), recent legislation… [PDF]
(2023). Team of Caring Educators Delivering a Specialized Math Curriculum for Racialized Youth during COVID-19. Excellence in Education Journal, v12 n1 p123-147 Win. This study examined the efficacy of an afternoon and weekend academic program called the "Community School Initiative" (CSI) during the COVID-19 pandemic. CSI was offered to racialized students and families from the Jane and Finch community in Toronto which is one of the most under-resourced neighbourhoods in Canada. It involved a partnership between private social enterprise "Spirit of Math" and non-profit organization "Youth Association for Academics, Athletics, and Character Education" (YAAACE). Seven teachers participated in a focus group and 33 students and parents completed a survey to express their experiences attending the CSI. Findings were identified using thematic analysis from a Critical Race Theory paradigm. Key characteristics of effective structural community-programming were identified. The results highlight the importance of access to opportunities in a culturally reflective manner to ensure student success through continuity of care… [PDF]
(2023). Shattering Deaf and Hearing Dualism through a Deaf-Latinx Epistemology Lens. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education (QSE), v36 n1 p72-86. The intersectional identities and lived experiences of Signing Latinx are insufficiently documented. Reflecting on my own lived experiences, I began to question traditional research paradigms that often neglected the stories shared by individuals from different communities within the larger Signing Latinx community. As I was introduced to Critical Race Theory, I was drawn to Deaf Critical Theory and Latinx Critical Theory. However, after analyzing both frameworks I recognized how many unique Deaf-Latinx related issues were overlooked. Deaf-Latinx ways of being and knowing need to be considered when working with Deaf-Latinx, especially in the classroom. I am pleased to share how my Deaf Chicana consciousness awakening has led me to propose a new theoretical framework, Deaf-Latinx Critical Theory (Deaf-LatCrit) with four interlocking tenets and their associated benefits. This unifying model may be a force to strengthen and solidify this unique community through the voices of… [Direct]
(2024). Theorising Racist Hate Speech on UK University Campuses through a CRT Lens. Whiteness and Education, v9 n1 p68-81. Racist hate speech on UK university campuses remains an increasing concern. This article examines the widespread problem of racist hate speech through a multilayered theoretical approach; and suggests that a fuller appreciation of the problem can only be gained through a race-centred analysis. Drawing on Fraser's work on the problematics of misrecognition and identity-reification, the article extends Levine-Rasky's theoreticisation of power dynamics in the intersectionality between whiteness and middle-classness to intersections of whiteness with both middle-classness and working-classness as a contributing factor to mobilisation of lad cultures which is termed as white-laddism. The article advances the understanding of racist hate speech through a conjoined analysis of these concepts through a Critical Race Theory (CRT) lens. The conjoined analysis is informed by the Deleuzian 'rhizomatic' approach in order to examine the process by which multiple, diverse and non-hierarchical lines… [Direct]
(2024). Evoking Edupreneurial Leadership towards Social Justice among Historically Disadvantaged Communities. International Journal of Leadership in Education, v27 n2 p412-428. In this qualitative article, we argue that marginalized spaces in historically disadvantaged school settings, such as in the case of a marginalized group of people, an out-group in the South African society, can become counter-spaces of comfort and nurturance. Spaces in historically disadvantaged communities are usually perceived in the dominant discourse as locations of deficiencies. We use Critical Race Theory and Latina/Latino Critical Theory framework (CRT and LatCrit) to contest dominant ideologies; especially the historically disadvantaged who often display human agency and transformational resistance. In addition, through the framework of Edupreneurial leadership theory we set out to explore how school practices incorporate cultural forms of knowledge, balancing the external and internal functions of the school to realize a conducive environment for effective school development. Fifteen participants were chosen through purposeful sampling and snowballing from five different… [Direct]
(2024). CRT in Ohio Schools: Effects on School Partnerships & Student Behaviors. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Youngstown State University. An analysis of misinformation, disinformation, perverse rhetorical devices, and the origin of the Critical Race Theory (CRT) controversy were presented, as well as the motivations of those most likely to share misinformation and crisis communication strategies. The purpose of this mixed method study was to explore Ohio Superintendents' levels of understanding of CRT and preparedness to respond to allegations, as well as their perceptions of the impact of CRT allegations school, family, and community partnerships and student conflicts. An exploration of the statistical correlations between the number of CRT posts and allegations in a school district and the number of student conflicts, reported conditions of partnerships, and demographics was also presented. The outcome of this study could provide educational leaders with the needed information to better prepare proactive responses to CRT allegations as well as other school targeted allegations while building positive relationships… [Direct]
(2024). The Antiracist Educator's Journey and the Psychology of Critical Consciousness Development: A New Roadmap. Educational Psychologist, v59 n1 p20-41. The cultural zeitgeist has reinvigorated needed conversations about systemic racism and its longstanding impact on education. Educators confronting educational racism encounter social and psychological challenges that stifle their antiracist efforts. Challenging social psychological encounters, which reflect unavoidable but requisite facets of critical consciousness development, are experienced as jarring interactions and trigger reversions toward uncritical race-dysconscious thought and action. Without social supports, educators seeking to transform racist institutions are isolated, left to their own devices, and unprepared for the painful journey of self-liberation. We cover the foundations and structure of the "antiracist educator's journey," a model based implicitly on critical race theory and explicitly on ecosystemic, monomythic, and liberational perspectives. Our model details the social-psychological progression of race consciousness development. We identify 15… [Direct]
(2024). Examining the Experienced Barriers to Seeking Mental Health Treatment among Metropolitan Millennial Black Men. Metropolitan Universities, v35 n3 p129-149. The increase in the prevalence of mental illness among Black millennials has led to more awareness and advocacy within the generation. However, Black millennial men are still utilizing counseling services at significantly lower rates than millennial Black women and men of other races. Consequently, this leads to an increase in suicide completions and undiagnosed mental health issues among Black men who experience more severe and disabling symptoms of mental illness. An exploration of racism, stigma, mental health in the Black community, and Black masculinity influenced the development of this study. Based on past reported themes, Black Masculinity and Critical Race Theory are utilized as a multi-dimensional framework for this phenomenological study to provide in-depth information on the barriers to counseling experienced by millennial Black men in a metropolitan city in North Carolina. Using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of the semi-structured interviews of this study,… [PDF]
(2024). Teaching and Learning in Black and White: Unpacking Students' Perceptions of Black Faculty Teaching at a Predominantly White Institution. Studying Teacher Education, v20 n1 p21-42. Extant research suggests that students at predominantly white institutions (PWIs) rate faculty of color (FOC) more negatively than White faculty. Despite these trends, efforts to promote the equitable interpretation of end-of-course evaluations remain elusive. In this self-study, we examined portfolio construction's practical and empirical utility as a tool to combat biased student evaluations. Thematic content analysis was used to explore how students evaluated a Black female tenure-line and a Black male non-tenure-line professor at a PWI in the southern region of the United States. We investigated the effects of instructors' perceived race and gender on students' course evaluations. Data saturation was achieved after analyzing the open-ended responses, and three themes emerged: 1) values/biases, 2) intellectual inferiority, and 3) 'othering'. Utilizing the tenets of critical race theory (CRT) and the phenomenon of 'teaching while Black', we reveal how race trumped gender and how… [Direct]
(2022). Theorizing Racist Ableism in Higher Education. Teachers College Record, v124 n7 p17-50 Jul. Background/Context: Although research on the experiences of multiply-marginalized Black and Brown students with dis/abilities in higher education is limited, this growing body of work indicates that these students navigate racialized perceptions of ability, which impact their experiences on college and university campuses. This research highlights the need for intersectional frameworks that consider students' multiple identities and the limitations of single-identity-focused frameworks. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study: Centering the counternarratives of 10 Black and Brown undergraduate students with dis/abilities across five college and university campuses, this article uses critical race theory (CRT), disability critical race theory (DisCrit), and racist nativism to develop a conceptual framework of racist ableism. Racist ableism bridges CRT, DisCrit, and racist nativism to describe how particular forms of ableism, informed by racist attitudes and beliefs, oppress… [Direct]
(2022). Building a Space to Dream: Supporting Indigenous Children's Survivance through Community-Engaged Social and Emotional Learning. Child Development, v93 n3 p699-716 May-Jun. Indigenous communities practice survivance and challenge social and political systems to support their children's identity and well-being. Grounded in transformative social-emotional learning (SEL) and tribal critical race theory, this 3-year community-based participatory research study (2019-2021) examined how a SEL program co-created with an Indigenous community in Flathead Nation in Montana supports anti-racism and anti-colonialism among Indigenous children. Critical reflexivity and thematic analyses of Community Advisory Board meetings and journals written by 60 students (M[subscript age] = 10.3, SD = 1.45; 47% girls; 60% Native American) during the SEL program revealed themes on Indigenous identity, belonging, wellness, and colonialism. These results shed light on challenging the racist and colonial roots of education to support Indigenous children's survivance and social-emotional well-being…. [Direct]
(2022). Black Liberatory Science Education: Positioning Black Youth as Science Learners through Recognizing Brilliance. Cultural Studies of Science Education, v17 n1 p177-198 Mar. The contributions, participation, and exploitation of Black people within science and science education are devalued within the cannon of science teaching and learning. This in part is due to the Eurocentric nature of science and education. As a result, Black youth participate in science regularly; however, it is overlooked, not recognized, and/or misinterpreted within formal learning experiences. In this qualitative case study, the authors address this tension through the oral traditions of storytelling which historicize Black excellence in science while centering the voices and engagement of youth as scientists. This work is guided by critical race theory as a means of critiquing science education and its practices. While presenting a counter-narrative to mainstream science descriptions of Black youth, the authors posit the role of liberatory science education for Black learners…. [Direct]
(2022). Inclusions and Exclusions: Racial Categorizations and Panethnicities in Higher Education. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education (QSE), v35 n1 p71-89. Research concerned with race in higher education often utilizes terms like Asian American, AAPI, API, APA, and APIDA interchangeably, with a limited grounding in theories of racial formation and panethnicity. Without adequate conceptual grounding, haphazard uses of such terms can lead to imprecise scholarship; and worse, perpetuate a form of racial and ethnic erasure and violence. To advance and expand theories of race in higher education research, we offer a framework of panethnic formations by reviewing theories of panethnicity, racial formation and critical race theory, demonstrating that panethnic formations and race are always in flux. We encourage theoretical intentionality and specificity in the use of racial terminology, directly grounded in relevant scholarship on panethnicity and race. This article expands theoretical considerations in research related to race, ethnicity, and panethnicity in higher education…. [Direct]