Critical Black feminist mentoring: A framework for making Black girls' lives matter
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2024
Department/School
Women's and Gender Studies
Publication Title
Afterschool Matters
Abstract
In the wake of current sociopolitical movements, research on the lives of Black girls and women is gaining momentum. However, studies providing Black girls space to voice their experiences within learning and afterschool environments remain a crucial--and often ignored--component of this conversation. This study had three primary objectives. The first was to identify ways mentoring programs provide participants with a safe space to tell their stories-- shifting traditional hierarchies of power that often place Black girls on the lowest rung by exploring the role of dialogue within program activities. The second was to examine a mentor initiative that directly engages with middle school Black girls where they spend most of their time: at school. The third was to offer counternarratives opposing the one-dimensional depictions of Black girls in middle school that shape public discourse. Afterschool mentorship programs are one intervention that can provide Black girls with the opportunity to interact with people who want to listen to, support, and guide them through the various stages of their personal development. This article explores the multidimensional and intersectional experiences of Black girls as they relate to schooling; narratives of resistance; and curricula, programs, and initiatives that center Black girls.
Recommended Citation
Logwood, D. C. (2024). Critical Black feminist mentoring: A framework for making Black girls’ lives matter. Afterschool Matters, 36, 72–80.
Comments
D. C. Logwood is a faculty member in EMU's Department of Women's and Gender Studies.