Many of the conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education rightly focus on the experiences of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) students and how to support them on their educational journey. Fewer of the conversations involve naming and interrogating the oppressive systems that cause these students to need…

As "divisive concepts" educational policies continue to be implemented across the United States, it is important to consider how preservice teachers (PSTs) are being prepared for this teaching landscape. Within an upper-level undergraduate education foundations course at a public university in Iowa, this critical case study (Dyson &…

Research suggests that the cultural homogeneity of Christian college campuses presents challenges for people of color to navigate. White cultural norms influence attitudes about race. The way people at an institution talk about race reflects the institution's campus racial climate. The purpose of this study was to explore how members of a…

In a racialized America, Asian Americans are forced to be a model minority and remain perpetually foreign in one body (Kawai, 2005; Kim et al., 2011; Kim, 1999, Kim, 2011; Wu, 2014). This is a unique experience that is understudied. The study brought together 18 Asian American nonprofit and educational leaders from across the US to engage in…

This constructivist grounded theory study conceptualized how White women educated at Jesuit colleges and universities and engaged in racial justice ally behavior developed their identities as White women and racial justice allies. Nine participants from six different Jesuit universities engaged with the researcher through two interviews and a…

Many district and school leaders have leveraged instructional leadership or social justice leadership to advance student achievement for minoritized students. While research has examined these approaches separately, we identify a potential gap at the nexus between instructional and social justice leadership. In particular, we need further research…

This dissertation examined how California Community College leaders have been engaging in responsive practices to create and sustain equitable and inclusive learning environments for students who have been historically excluded in higher education. Through a case study of five critical leaders of color, this research illuminated how these leaders…

There is a long history of educational discrimination which has led to marginalized populations in the U.S. (Perez, 2021; Love 2019) This structural oppression has continued into the present day. This is apparent even in social work programs. Educational injustice is problematic with social work programs because social work's mission is to be a…

This qualitative case study seeks to understand the lived experiences of school principals acknowledging and elevating student counternarratives shared via Instagram during the Black@ movement about the impact of race in their schools. This study also explores how school principals demonstrate racial literacy attentive to school context through…

Suburban school districts have experienced a racial and ethnic shift within the past 10 years. School districts that once were predominantly White have pivoted to a more diverse demographic. While we have seen the shifting of student demographics the same has not manifested within school leadership. This critical qualitative study sought to…

Within the past decade, there has been increased attention to discrimination and racism toward communities of color. In response, many Black and African American adults engage in activism and civic disruption (Szymanski, 2012) to fight against societal structures that further oppress marginalized communities. Conversely, activism can be physically…

International students' experiences with race and racism in U.S. higher education has received increasing scholarly attention, especially in light of a series of recent environmental hostilities (e.g., anti-Asian hate associated with COVID-19) that have affected the population. This growing body of research has primarily focused on how…

Prior research has explored the complex issue of how future teachers learn to engage in socially just and antiracist teaching practices. This research revealed reasons why pre-service teachers do not engage in racialized conversations, including not believing that it is appropriate to talk about race with young children, and exhibiting resistance…

This dissertation study explores how white, award-winning history teachers narrate the role of race, racism, whiteness, and antiracism in their identity formation, in their understandings of society, and in their teaching of history. Drawing from a nationwide sample and utilizing surveys and semi-structured interviews, this project explores…

This critical constructivist study was grounded in the belief that there is an urgent need to address attainment gaps between White students and students of color at community colleges, that equity-minded leadership is needed to address these gaps, and that the call for transformative leadership must be answered not solely by leaders with…