Pledging to a Club You Don't Want to Be In: A Critical Analysis of Power Narratives and Experiences of Women of Color in Academia

TeyAnjulee Leon

Abstract

Despite increasing numbers of students of color pursuing secondary education, educational environments continue to operate in such a way that there is a “racial opportunity cost” students of color must pay in order for them to be academically successful, particularly for women of color (NCES 2017; Venzant Chambers, Locke & Tagarao, p. 802, 2015). Considering women of color’s growing demographics in higher education, especially if institutions plan to continue recruiting and retaining women of color as students and eventually as faculty, understanding this issue is important to the recruitment, retention, and upward mobility women of color in academia. Using feminist inquiry and cultural studies, I examine the experiences of female undergraduate students of color in an attempt to understand the relationship between their positionality, the “racial opportunity cost”, and subsequently the course of power in their experiences on campus. This research argues that power consistently shifts away from women of color in the academy. The surveys and focus group will illustrate experiences women of color have on campus that are unfit for their academic position. This research aligns with the theme of “Disruption” by calling attention to and working to undo a systemic institutional culture that is harmful to all students, but especially to those belonging to traditionally marginalized communities. My aim is to disrupt inherently racist and sexist power structures that require women of color to negotiate their identity in order to succeed.

 
May 17th, 12:00 AM May 17th, 12:00 AM

Pledging to a Club You Don't Want to Be In: A Critical Analysis of Power Narratives and Experiences of Women of Color in Academia

UW Tacoma Tioga Library

Despite increasing numbers of students of color pursuing secondary education, educational environments continue to operate in such a way that there is a “racial opportunity cost” students of color must pay in order for them to be academically successful, particularly for women of color (NCES 2017; Venzant Chambers, Locke & Tagarao, p. 802, 2015). Considering women of color’s growing demographics in higher education, especially if institutions plan to continue recruiting and retaining women of color as students and eventually as faculty, understanding this issue is important to the recruitment, retention, and upward mobility women of color in academia. Using feminist inquiry and cultural studies, I examine the experiences of female undergraduate students of color in an attempt to understand the relationship between their positionality, the “racial opportunity cost”, and subsequently the course of power in their experiences on campus. This research argues that power consistently shifts away from women of color in the academy. The surveys and focus group will illustrate experiences women of color have on campus that are unfit for their academic position. This research aligns with the theme of “Disruption” by calling attention to and working to undo a systemic institutional culture that is harmful to all students, but especially to those belonging to traditionally marginalized communities. My aim is to disrupt inherently racist and sexist power structures that require women of color to negotiate their identity in order to succeed.