M.Dean, 2024 Symposium

Although there has been increasing diversity in the United States, minorities still face discrimination, oppression, and microaggressions which influences how they perceive themselves and their social identity. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among Black/African American women and predominantly white environments. This study seeks to answer the question how is the identity and confidence of an African American woman impacted by predominantly-white academic environments? It is hypothesized that African American women feel less confident and engage in identity shifting while in a predominantly-white academic environment. It is also hypothesized that these factors contribute to mental health issues, and a lack of social engagement. The goal of this research is to analyze the intersectionality of African American women identities and determine whether the proximity to white communities influence the well-being and confidence of African American women in order that efforts can be made to provide additional cultural and social awareness tools such as cross-cultural skills and cultural awareness practices to promote social inclusivity for minorities.