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Black Girl Personal Statement

1489 Words6 Pages

STATEMENT OF PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND & PURPOSE I was never supposed to make it out. The United States educational system has been purposefully and strategically distorted to perpetuate White racist ideologies. These ideologies do their best to make it nearly impossible for a Black girl from the hood to graduate. Yet, here I stand. I have earned a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master's degree from Loyola Marymount University in spite of a system that was not meant for me. I am here today because of a village of Black women who wrapped their arms around me and empowered me to persevere. It is because of them that I am able to counsel, teach, advocate for, and inspire Black students daily. These women …show more content…

In 1962, Malcolm X spoke these powerful words, "The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman." It is shocking that more than sixty years later, his words still ring true. Black women are under chronic stress due to structural racism and sexism, yet they are expected to be strong and persist. Academia is just one sector where Black women are disrespected, unprotected, and neglected. In Against Captivity: Black Girls and School Discipline Policies in the Afterlife of Slavery, Connie Wun (2016) explains that Black women must endure increased disciplinary action, surveillance, and a lack of agency. These added practices enhance the emotional trauma Black students feel within schools. Attending school should not make students feel defeated and mentally drained. As a Black woman who has navigated the educational system for 20-plus years, I experienced feelings of inferiority and the difficulty that comes with thriving in institutions that have historically discriminated against people of color. Therefore, if given the opportunity, I intend to research how Black girls experience trauma in schools and the impact these inequities adversely have on their mental health, achievement, and the school …show more content…

It is infuriating for us to live in a society that continues to dim their light and diminish their academic aspirations. Paulo Freire (2017) eloquently states, "There is no such thing as neutral education. Education either functions as an instrument to bring about conformity or freedom." Therefore, I owe it to my students to fight for equity in education and prove to them that, contrary to what society projects, they can be successful in higher education and beyond. By earning my doctoral degree and incorporating my counseling knowledge, I hope to be able to conduct further research into how various challenges psychologically impact Black girls and establish systemic techniques to combat the oppressive system to ensure their

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Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States founded primarily for the education of African Americans. Prior to the mid-1960s, HBCUs were virtually the only institutions open to African Americans due to the vast majority of predominantly white institutions prohibiting qualified African Americans from acceptance during the time of segregation. As such, they are institutional products of an era of discrimination and socially constructed racism against African Americans (Joseph, 2013). Successfully, millions of students have been educated in spite of limited resources, public contempt, accreditation violations, and legislative issues. The purpose of this research paper is to discuss

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THESIS Similar to many of the other selections we have read, to be Black in America is an enormous struggle. Through slavery, oppression, discrimination, and more; history has proven that this country was not built upon making individuals of African ancestry comfortable here. With the personal recollections of numerous horror stories of oppression, Assata Shakur goes on to explain how truly oppressed the Black individuals of America are.

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This article explained all aspects of the Black Women’s Educational Alliance and brought to my attention the main points and important points that were needed to grasp in order to get the full message of what the alliance stands for. The author, Lisa L. Richardson of this source is highly reputable, she is the president of the Black Women’s Educational Alliance and has been since 2012. This source is relevant to my topic because it demonstrates how in our present society there are now

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They claim, “...students of color are showing that they feel disconnected from their respective schools, that implicit yet institutionalized racism creates emotional distance between them and their white peers and faculty. Being a black student on a predominantly white campus certainly, doesn’t guarantee that the student will develop mental-health issues. However, various studies suggest that perceived or actual discrimination can make it hard for students of color to engage with their campus in the way that their white peers do.” This explains how students sometimes feel like they don’t get enough support from their universities and this is dangerous because it can lead that student to drop out of school.

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Anthony Mize Jr. is currently the Assistant Director for Diversity and Inclusion at Queens University of Charlotte. He received his Bachelors of Science degree in Communications with a concentration in Integrated Marketing Communications and a minor in Music from The Tennessee State University and is currently a graduate student at Northeastern University working on his Masters of Education degree in Higher Education Administration. Mr. Mize’s undergrad background consisted of up to 13 different student clubs and organizations where he held multiple leadership roles. As a student, he also gained early professional experience from being involved in students affairs/activities and residence life. He is the founder of a male empowerment project

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Based on their ethnicity, gender, and economic situation, the characters in the book experience prejudice and marginalization. The experiences of black women, who confront particular difficulties because of their ethnicity and gender, are highlighted in the book. Black women still experience bias and discrimination in both the job and in their personal life, which is a problem

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We as African American student leaders at this predominantly White institution are making a huge difference by being the reason that most people of our culture graduate in less than six years. Studies show that, “One explanation for those low graduation rates is minority students' inability to find membership in the cultures and subcultures of their respective campuses.” Frostburg State University’s Achievement Gap Report from March 2013 concludes that the average graduation rate of African Americans was almost equivalent to Frostburg’s overall graduation rate during that time period. The Black Student Alliance, as well as the National Association Advancement for Colored People (NAACP), and the

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As black women always conform under patriarchal principles, women are generally silenced and deprived of rights because men are entitled to control everything. Women are silenced in a way that they lose their confidence and hesitate to speak up due to the norms present in the society they live in. Hence, even if women have the confidence to try to speak, men wouldn’t bother to listen since men ought to believe that they are superior to women. In addition to that, women often live in a life cycle of repetitions due to patriarchal principles since women are established to fulfill the roles the society had given them. It is evidenced by Celie as she struggles to survive and to define oneself apart from the controlling, manipulative, and abusive men in her life.

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I have an innate want to succeed.” Kennedi, who received a scholarship to Howard University, the historically black university in Washington, D.C., describes her first impression of Howard University as a community filled with well-rounded black people, a notion that many others share with her. She also shared her favorite Howard memory: her first week on Howard’s campus when she first heard and sang the words to the Black National Anthem, “lift every voice and sing till earth and heaven ring,” in unison with hundreds of other Howard University students and staff all while holding up her fist. Although Kennedi’s first impression of Howard University is heart- warming.

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It is clear that these institutions have played a critical role in shaping American society. HBCUs have a rich history of providing access to higher education for Black Americans during a time of slavery and institutional racism. Despite facing numerous challenges, including financial instability, declining enrollment, and perception issues, HBCUs have continued to produce successful graduates in various fields and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. Looking towards the future, HBCUs have a unique opportunity to continue their important role in advancing social justice and promoting diversity in higher education.

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Delgado and Stefancic (2011) stated that Critical Race Theory explores how “race, racism, and power intersect to create different circumstances for people of color within society [...] and in postsecondary institutions” (as cited in Quaye, 2013, p. 172). Within the field of higher education, it is important for student affairs professionals to recognize how race permeates all aspects of an individual’s life to fully understand their students’ experiences. Unlike other student development theories, such as Baxter-Magolda’s (2008) self-authorship and Abes, Jones, and McEwen’s (2007) Model of Multiple Identities, CRT places race at the “center of the analysis and assumes that race is omnipresent” in an individual’s life (Quaye, 2013, p. 167).

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I’ve noticed that being an African American woman places me below the totem pole automatically, placing two strikes again me. However, as a black woman attending a Historically Black College/University, in my heart, I strive to seek academic excellence and create a lasting impression on the world…starting with the community around me. My traditional values are deeply rooted in love, honesty, integrity and the desire to serve. I strongly believe in “Love Your Neighbor as Yourself”. I believe I have great qualities to offer such an organization

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As a member of a small cohort of black female scientists, my purpose is to continue to encourage members of underrepresented minority groups to pursue higher education by being an example of what is possible despite the odds. As a member of a small cohort of black female scientists, my purpose is to continue to encourage members of underrepresented minority groups to pursue higher education by being an example of what is possible despite the odds. As a member of a small cohort of black female scientists, my purpose is to continue to encourage members of underrepresented minority groups to pursue higher education by being an example of what is possible despite the odds. As a member of a small cohort of black female scientists, my purpose is to continue to encourage members of underrepresented minority groups to pursue higher education by

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