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Objective: To explore relationships between mental health climate, positive mental health, sense of belonging, and depression among a U.S. national sample of Black college students. Participants: 1303 Black undergraduate and graduate students from 15 colleges and universities throughout the U.S. Methods: Data were from the 2018–2019 Healthy Minds Study. Analysis included hierarchical regression models. Results: A more positive perception of mental health climate and higher levels of both positive mental health and sense of belonging were significantly associated with lower levels of depression. Significant interactions existed between positive mental health and climate and sense of belonging and climate with buffering effects being most pronounced for students reporting high levels of positive mental health. Conclusion: Black college students' perceptions of an institution's mental health climate are associated with psychological outcomes. College health stakeholders should consider the buffering effects of protective factors on mental health when designing initiatives for Black college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Perceived discrimination is associated with racial cognitive health disparities. Links between discrimination and cognitive performance, like working memory, in everyday settings (i.e. ambulatory performance) require investigation. Depressive symptoms may be a mechanism through which discrimination relates to ambulatory working memory. Method: Discrimination, retrospective and momentary depressive symptoms/mood, and aggregated and momentary working memory performance among older Black and White adults were examined within the Einstein Aging Study. Results: Racially stratified analyses revealed that discrimination did not relate to Black or White adults' ambulatory working memory. Among Black adults, however, more frequent discrimination was associated with greater retrospectively reported depressive symptoms, which related to more working memory errors across two weeks (indirect effect p < 0.05). This path was not significant among White adults. Links between discrimination and momentary working memory were not explained by momentary reports of depressed mood for Black or White adults. Conclusion: Depressive symptoms may play an important role in the link between discrimination and ambulatory working memory among Black adults across extended measurements, but not at the momentary level. Future research should address ambulatory cognition and momentary reports of discrimination and depression to better understand how to minimize cognitive health disparities associated with discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The late Bay Area Hip Hop legend Shock G stated that Tupac Shakur "rhymed from this pit of his stomach," asserting that Tupac's greatness was in the potency and relevance of his message more than the technical skill of his lyricism. Tattooed across the stomach that Tupac rhymed from was the acronym "T.H.U.G.L.I.F.E." Tupac proclaimed that it stood for "The Hate You Gave Little Infants, Fucks Everyone," a statement that reflected his worldview and echoed sentiments of those like Frantz Fanon, James Baldwin and Huey P. Newton who viewed youth as the centerpiece of the struggle for Black Liberation. Though Tupac was murdered in 1996, his lyrics and interviews resurfaced in the aftermath of the police killing of Oscar Grant in 2009 and introduced a generation born after his death to his thug persona and T.H.U.G.L.I.F.E. ideology as relavent, and accessible symbols of Black Rebellion. This article explores how Pac Babies, Black youth born after Tupac's death, have adopted his Persona and Ideology to inform their entry into the Post Racial, social media era of the Black Freedom Struggle. I offer that, by providing T.H.U.G.L.I.F.E. as an alternative to the politics of respectability of the Civil Rights Movement and being resurrected as mythical super hero battling police violence, Tupac influenced both the street protests and social media engagement during the protest phase of "Black Lives Matter!". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 25-plus years since his death, Tupac Shakur's legacy has been reimagined as one of a fighter of social injustice and revolutionary whose discography ushered in an era of more "conscious" rap. The consensus scholarly and popular re-imagining of Shakur's legacy as that of a progressive social justice advocate in the nearly 30 years since his death downplays or altogether overlooks his occasional alignment with conservative ideas. But this reimagining also ignores a longer history of Black music and conservative values. This essay examines Tupac's complicated relationship with conservative thought and how his musings on the Black family mirrored the laments of conservative intellectuals like George Schuyler, Albert Murray, Stanley Crouch, Walter E. Williams, and Shelby Steele, as well as political figures such as Keyes, Armstrong Williams, and JC Watts. The authors also argue that looking at the legacies of rappers such as Tupac Shakur from purely a left/right perspective doesn't properly account for the extent to which hip-hop culture has always been in conversation with the gamut of political discourses in the United States over the past 50 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The late Bay Area Hip Hop legend Shock G stated that Tupac Shakur "rhymed from this pit of his stomach," asserting that Tupac's greatness was in the potency and relevance of his message more than the technical skill of his lyricism. Tattooed across the stomach that Tupac rhymed from was the acronym "T.H.U.G.L.I.F.E." Tupac proclaimed that it stood for "The Hate You Gave Little Infants, Fucks Everyone," a statement that reflected his worldview and echoed sentiments of those like Frantz Fanon, James Baldwin and Huey P. Newton who viewed youth as the centerpiece of the struggle for Black Liberation. Though Tupac was murdered in 1996, his lyrics and interviews resurfaced in the aftermath of the police killing of Oscar Grant in 2009 and introduced a generation born after his death to his thug persona and T.H.U.G.L.I.F.E. ideology as relavent, and accessible symbols of Black Rebellion. This article explores how Pac Babies, Black youth born after Tupac's death, have adopted his Persona and Ideology to inform their entry into the Post Racial, social media era of the Black Freedom Struggle. I offer that, by providing T.H.U.G.L.I.F.E. as an alternative to the politics of respectability of the Civil Rights Movement and being resurrected as mythical super hero battling police violence, Tupac influenced both the street protests and social media engagement during the protest phase of "Black Lives Matter!". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a nationwide sample of cisgender Black women in the US, we assessed the associations between social and structural factors and interest in using HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Among 315 respondents, 62.2% were interested in PrEP if it were provided for free. Positive social norms surrounding PrEP, including injunctive norms (perceived social acceptability of PrEP use) and descriptive norms (perceived commonality of PrEP use), were positively associated with interest in using PrEP. Concerns about HIV infection, recently visiting a health care provider, and comfort discussing PrEP with a provider were also positively associated with interest in using PrEP. Anticipating PrEP disapproval from others was negatively associated with interest in PrEP. Although PrEP can promote autonomy and personal discretion, Black women's PrEP-related decisions occur in a complex social environment. Black women may benefit from interventions to promote positive norms and attitudes surrounding PrEP at the community level and empower them in discussions with their providers about PrEP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing literature on Black caregiver's interactions with their children has overwhelmingly focused on parenting deficits and interventions designed to "fix" Black families. In utilizing the BlackCreate framework (2023), this study explores how Black caregivers intentionally crafted learning spaces for their children within the context of a six month intervention. Brilliant Joy in a Box was a six-month intervention developed in partnership with a Black woman entrepreneur that delivered caregiver-child Black history home learning boxes to families during the COVID-19 pandemic with the goal of addressing the impacts of persistent historical educational inequities for Black youth, the disproportionate impact of the pandemic Black families, and requests from community members seeking additional programming during the winter months. In the current study, we analyzed videos of 77 families interacting during a guided play activity. We found that the learning spaces created by Black families focused on four subject matters and their domains: literacy, scientific curiosity, math, and identity. We also found that Black caregivers organically utilized guided play to promote joyful interaction and learning. Findings underscore the importance of educators and school staff learning from families in order to reimagine learning and design community based interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black people in the United Kingdom disproportionately acquire long-term health conditions and are marginalised from the labour market compared with other groups. These conditions interact and reinforce high rates of unemployment among Black people with long-term health conditions. To examine the efficacy, and experience, of employment support interventions in meeting the needs of Black service users in Britain. A systematic literature search was conducted focusing on peer-reviewed literature featuring samples drawn from the United Kingdom. The literature search revealed a paucity of articles that include analysis of Black people's outcomes or experiences. Six articles met the selection criteria of the review, of which five focused on mental health impairments. No firm conclusions could be drawn from the systematic review; however, the evidence suggests that Black people are less likely than their White counterparts to secure competitive employment and that Individual Placement and Support (IPS) may be less effective for Black participants. We argue for a greater focus on ethnic differences in employment support outcomes with an emphasis on how such services may remediate racial differences in employment outcomes. We conclude by foregrounding how structural racism may explain the dearth of empirical evidence in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solicit information/suggestions from prostate cancer survivors to improve survivorship experiences specific to work/workability. The study employed a qualitative/phenomenological approach. Black/African-American and white prostate cancer survivors who: (1) had prostatectomy or radiation therapy 6–36 months prior, (2) were working for pay within 30 days before having treatment, and (3) expected to be working for pay 6 months later (n = 45) were eligible for this study. Survivors were engaged in 60-to-90-minute structured interviews. Content analysis was used to ascertain prominent themes. Participants had the following recommendations for survivors: ask about research on treatment options and side effects; speak with other survivors about cancer diagnosis; and inform family/friends and employers about needed accommodations. Considerations for family/friends emphasized the significance of instrumental (e.g. help finding information) and emotional support (e.g. encouragement). Employer/co-worker considerations most often related to work-related accommodations/support and avoiding stigmatization of the survivor. Considerations for healthcare providers commonly included the provision of unbiased, plain-language communication about treatment options and side effects. No major differences existed by race. Needs of employed PrCA survivors, regardless of their race or treatment type, are commonly related to their desire for informational, instrumental, and/or emotional support from family/friends, employers/co-workers, and healthcare providers. The requested supports are most often related to the side effects of prostate cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communities need to be ready to address increased suicide among Black Americans. The Community Readiness Model (CRM) provides an established assessment for marginalized communities facing suicide. CRM assessment of the Northeast Ohio Black community involved interviews with 25 representatives, analysis using rating scales, co-scoring, and calculation. Results include a marginal overall score and low to average scores for five dimensions: knowledge of efforts to address suicide, leadership, community climate, knowledge of suicide, and resources. The vague awareness readiness stage indicates the community is unclear about what can be done to address suicide and has not taken ownership of the issue. We highlight implications for mental health practice, prevention and funding campaigns, and consultation with community leadership for culturally informed prevention strategies targeting areas of lowest readiness. Future research should use expanded designs to examine readiness changes from intervention in this and other Black communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mindfulness has been shown to increase parental well-being in multi-faceted ways, yet we do not invest in broad applications of mindfulness training for those most in need. The overall aim of this qualitative study is to better understand whether and how mindful self-care instruction helps Black, low-income women assimilate the experience of birth and the transition into motherhood. Conclusions indicate that the mindfulness program impacts these women by helping them feel more connected to themselves, increasing their awareness and practice of self-care, and improving their mental health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Television is a valuable sociocultural resource that allows stereotypes to be exposed and challenged including those of Black fathers. Critics note that most African American media images are Eurocentric portrayals. However, with an increasing number of Black actors, writers, and producers, television depictions of Black fathers continue to change. Early television emphasized the stereotypes of Black fathers. While historically fathers' roles were determined by their ability to provide for their families, media framed Black fathers as missing, detached and/or irresponsible. After Obama's election and his campaign elevating hope, several new Black fathers appeared on television. This research on Black fatherhood fills an important gap in the literature: messages of hope expressed by Black fathers in television shows. To analyze messages of hope, we present an overview of the literature on media framing and its relevance to the depictions of Black males focusing on Black TV dads. Second, we extend the previous research by examining messages of hope expressed by Black fathers in television series from the 1970s to the present. Findings highlight messages of hope expressed through teaching life lessons, striving to create a better future, protecting their children from life's disappointments and dangers, and leaving a legacy. Practice and research implications are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of acknowledging infertility in the Black community often leaves women bewildered about their situations and the availability and influence of counseling support. In addition to these perplexities, counseling scholars have not fully documented the intersectional experiences of Black women experiencing infertility challenges. Utilizing an intersectionality approach, this study makes meaning of the interpretations surrounding mental health and Black women experiencing infertility challenges. The data analysis of 13 interviews captures how Black women reflect on infertility experiences, narrate mental health and coping responses, and explain counseling needs and barriers. Findings from this study suggest that self-concept and internal understanding may draw upon historical racial contexts of femininity and reproductive value and the societal expectation to shoulder personal responsibility for challenges. This study provides counselors with ways to conceptualize this population through race, gender, and feminist theory while sharing strategies to guide clients toward healing gendered and race-related challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black/African American (AA) individuals are a group at risk for co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and alcohol use due to unique cultural and system-level barriers. Although associations between trauma exposure, PTSD symptoms, and alcohol use are well established across various populations, Black/AA individuals are underrepresented in this literature, and related findings in this population are inconclusive. Thus, the goal of this study was to examine the associations among trauma exposure, PTSD symptoms, and alcohol use in a sample of treatment-seeking, Black/AA adults. We hypothesized that trauma exposure and alcohol use would be positively associated and that this relationship would be mediated by PTSD symptoms. This study conducted secondary analysis of screening data from a PTSD and alcohol use disorder clinical trial. Participants were 96 Black/AA adults (57.3% male; 2.0% Hispanic; M age = 44.73, SD = 11.83) who were seeking treatment for alcohol use and endorsed trauma exposure. Associations between trauma exposure, PTSD symptom severity, and quantity and frequency of alcohol use were tested using bivariate correlations and linear regressions. Hypothesized indirect effects were tested using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 27 PROCESS model 4 with bootstrapping. Findings illustrated a significant positive association between trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms and between PTSD symptoms and drinks per typical drinking day. PTSD symptoms were not significantly associated with number of drinking days. Tests of indirect effects were significant for trauma exposure on drinks per typical drinking day through PTSD symptoms. Results from the test of indirect effects suggest that among Black/AA adults with heavy alcohol use and trauma exposure, trauma exposure is associated with PTSD symptoms, which in turn is associated with quantity of alcohol use. These findings are consistent with research conducted with White/mixed groups and align with tenets of the self-medication model of PTSD-AUD comorbidity. These findings support current practices that highlight the importance of screening for and addressing PTSD and alcohol use in individuals exposed to trauma. Findings from this paper provide initial data on understudied relationships in an underserved sample and several suggestions are made to generate future research and improve clinical care for Black/AA adults. Pharmacogenetic Treatment With Anti-Glutaminergic Agents for Comorbid PTSD & AUD; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02884908. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insufficient attention to protective and risk factors of particular salience for Black youth (e.g., racial identity and racial discrimination) in population-based substance use studies has left gaps in our understanding of alcohol and tobacco use development in Black adolescents. The current study aimed to capture the clustering of such understudied factors and their collective influence on alcohol and tobacco use initiation among Black adolescents. Data were drawn from The National Survey of American Life (n = 1,170; age range = 13-17; 6.9% Afro Caribbean, 93.1% African American; 50.0% female). Latent profile analysis applied to 11 indicators representing family, community, and individual level protective and risk factors revealed (1) High Vulnerability (high risk, low protective factors; 17.5%), (2) Moderate Vulnerability (moderate on both; 63.2%), and (3) Low Vulnerability (high protective, low risk factors; 19.3%) classes. Classes differed significantly by religious community support, school bonding, quality of relationship with mother, religious involvement, and interpersonal trauma. Relative to Class 2, Class 1 had higher odds of alcohol (OR = 1.518, CI:1.092-2.109) and tobacco use (OR = 1.998, CI:1.401-2.848); Class 3 had lower odds of alcohol (OR = 0.659, CI:0.449-0.968) but not tobacco use (OR = 0.965, CI:0.611-1.523). Findings suggest that alcohol and tobacco use initiation among Black adolescents is shaped by the collective influence of community and family level support, with commonly experienced risk factors such as non-interpersonal trauma distinguishing liability to a lesser degree. The equally modest prevalence of tobacco use among low and moderate vulnerability classes further indicates that fostering these connections may be especially effective in reducing tobacco use risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies show that Black women in the United States experience disproportionately poorer health outcomes compared to women of other racial/ethnic groups. Recently the focus is on improving the health of Black women in the United States. However, there is little empirical evidence on what Black women need to improve their health to be well. The goal of this constructivist grounded theory was to increase the understanding of wellness among middle-class Black women (N = 30) in a large Midwestern city in the United States through an intersectional lens. The findings show that the connection and balance between mind, body, and spirit was the core experience of wellness among middle-class Black women. Mind, body, and spirit was described in three ways--(a) mentally managing, (b) physically caring for my body, and (c) connecting spiritually--with the women also noting the barriers and facilitators they endured to be well. Each of these categories highlight the tension middle-class Black women experience with trying to be well. Implications for future practice and research with middle-class Black women are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) are at higher risk of HIV transmission than any other group; however, their uptake of the highly effective HIV prevention medication, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), is low. In collaboration with a communitybased organization in Atlanta, Georgia, we explored ten HIV-negative BMSM's willingness to obtain PrEP in pharmacies using standard open-ended and vignette qualitative methods. Three overarching themes were identified: privacy, patient-pharmacist interactions, and HIV/STI screening. While open-ended questions allowed participants to provide broad answers on their willingness to receive prevention services at a pharmacy, the vignette drew out specific responses to facilitate in-pharmacy PrEP delivery. Using both openended questions and vignette data collection strategies, BMSM reported high willingness to screen for and uptake PrEP in pharmacies. However, the vignette method allowed for greater depth. Open-ended questions elicited responses that highlighted general barriers and facilitators of PrEP dispensing in pharmacies. However, the vignette allowed participants to customize a plan of action that would best fit their needs. Vignette methods are underutilized in HIV research and may be helpful in supplementing standard open-ended interview questions to uncovering unknown challenges about health behaviors and obtain more robust data on highly sensitive research topics in HIV research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study, based on life stories, documents the pathways to medicine and health sciences of Black students with immigrant parents from the Caribbean or Sub-Saharan Africa in Quebec, Canada. The aim of this study is to investigate the factors that shape their educational pathways using Doray's framework. Even among students from families with substantial levels of education, the educational pathways to medicine or health sciences may be described as non-linear. Several obstacles can arise along these pathways, depending on various social markers. Many of the interviewees first enroll in a program other than their desired program, either to ensure their financial security or to improve their grades for a limited-enrollment program. Medicine and pharmacy studies remain a dream for most participants and their parents. However, in some cases, this dream is not coming true, and interviewees' aspirations are sometimes stifled. These results shed light on the possible changes to be made within certain programs' admissions policies. Nevertheless, the students (n = 12) demonstrate agency in facing a seemingly unfair admissions system for highly selective programs. We conclude with recommendations on how to better accommodate the so-called non-traditional pathways of Black students with immigrant parents from the Caribbean or Sub-Saharan Africa. Practice points Most of the interviewees first enroll in a program other than their desired program (tiered approach), either to ensure their financial security or to improve their grades to get into a limited-enrollment program. The tiered approach that has been taken by the students indicates that universities should consider taking only the most recent grades into account during the selection process as well as non-academic life experiences. Access programs with support throughout students' education remain an avenue for improving representation of students from underrepresented groups in medicine and other health programs. In future studies, it would be relevant to examine how pipeline programs can shape the pathways of students from underrepresented populations in health sciences, and how these students perceive the selection process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United States has been convulsed as nationwide protests and riots erupted following the murder of a Black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis Police officer, Derek Chauvin. Chauvin was seen kneeling on Mr. Floyd's neck while he was on the ground for approximately nine minutes. In this article, the authors briefly examine the history of political activism in the United States, the impact of riots on policy change and mobilization, as well as the mental health outcomes of activism. Through an autoethnographic account of a traumatic arrest of the first author who was arrested during the protests following the murder of George Floyd, the first author reveals the power of healing through community activism. This work contributes to intellectual literature as it examines the overall benefits of activism, suggesting that participating in activism as a form of selfadvocacy and self-care is a key component of collective healing and liberation. In addition, in order to sustain one's mental health while engaged in activism, the authors share a few methods of self-care that can be used by Black people, Indigenous people, and other People of Color (BIPOC). Methodologically, it demonstrates the usefulness of autoethnography for scholars across a myriad of disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors pay homage to Black feminists and Black feminism as they reflect on the impact of Black feminism on their lives. The authors challenge readers to examine the ways that anti-Black racism (ABR) persists within the field of psychology and introduce ten strategies from their experiences and research on Black feminism-informed interventions that facilitate resistance and prevention through radical healing. In addition to the strategies offered, readers are provided with next steps and recommendations for addressing ABR in psychology and facilitating radical healing through Black feminism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United Kingdom, people with non-white ethnicities are more likely to report being in worse health conditions and have poorer experiences of healthcare services than white counterparts. The voices of those of Black ethnicities are often merged in literature among other non-white ethnicities. This literature review aims to analyse studies that investigate Black participant experiences of primary care in the UK. We conducted a systematic literature review searching Medline, Web of Science, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Social Policy and Practice, CINAHL plus, Psych INFO and Global Health with specific search terms for appropriate studies. No publish date limit was applied. 40 papers (39 articles and 1 thesis) were deemed eligible for inclusion in the review. A number of major themes emerged. Patient expectations of healthcare and the health seeking behaviour impacted their interactions with health systems in the UK. Both language and finances emerged as barriers through which some Black participants interacted with primary care services. (Mis)trust of clinicians and the health system was a common theme that often negatively impacted views of UK primary care services. The social context of the primary care service and instances of a cultural disconnect also impacted views of primary care services. Some papers detail patients recognising differential treatment based on ethnicity. The review included the voices of primary care professionals where descriptions of Black patients were overwhelmingly negative. Views and experiences of Black groups may be radically different to other ethnic minorities and thus, should be teased out of broader umbrella terms like Black and Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) and Black Minority Ethnic (BME). To address ethnicity-based health inequalities, culturally sensitive interventions that engage with the impacted community including co-designed interventions should be considered while acknowledging the implications of being racialised as Black in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color (BIWOC) educators working in predominantly White institutions (PWIs) disproportionately experience violence rooted in historical, structural, and interpersonal oppressions that negatively impact mental and physical health which necessitates multi-level healing. In response, a BIWOC educators' healing circle incorporated Critical Transformative Potential Development (CTPD) to create a collective and collaborative healing process from the harm of institutional gendered racism. The BIWOC circle integrated decolonial strategies, including storytelling and healing spaces, to encourage the cultivation of sustainable health and wellness practices. Through the reflective narratives of four BIWOC healing circle participants, we consider the ways CTPD can be a decolonizing force. Participant narratives support the introduction of Soulcial Work Praxis (SWP), and its evolution from CTPD, as a decolonizing theoretical framework for soul care, transformation, and healing, proclaiming that rebellion is our salvation, community is our protection, and healing is our liberation. The SWP dimensions within participants' reflections highlight our pillars of humanity: space, grace, time, and opportunity. Considerations for broader application in social work education, research, and practice are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the light of global calls to decolonise the curriculum and the national impact of the Black Lives Matter movement, there is pressure on social work academics to review, deconstruct and decolonise social work curricula. Social work education places strong emphasis on anti-oppressive, relationship-based practice that acknowledges diversity, social and economic injustice. This creates additional complexities and pressures for educators attempting to deconstruct social work curricula. This paper considers the emotional labour that such a task entails, and the usefulness of applying psychoanalytic concepts to understanding this emotional labour. It does this by exploring a critical incident and examining the complexities that educators face in constructing decolonised curricula within a marketised academy. It makes recommendations about the kinds of resources that are needed to support educators, especially Black educators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

U.S. Latinx/Hispanic families experience higher food insecurity rates than the general population. Few studies have examined factors that contribute to food insecurity among the Latinx/Hispanic population, and none have done so using a national dataset. Drawing from the ecological theory of human development framework, this study explores the following research questions: What micro-, meso-, and exo/macro-system factors are related to adult and child food insecurity? How do these factors compare for Latinx/Hispanic, Black, and White mothers? This study uses data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), a national survey that follows a birth cohort of mostly unwed parents and their children over a 15-year period. The sample was limited to Hispanic (both foreign-born and native-born), non-Hispanic Black mothers, and non-Hispanic White mothers. This yielded a final sample size of 2,636 for all mothers and 665 for Latinx/Hispanic mothers. While micro-level factors were influential for food insecurity, they alone could not explain the variation. Social support, a meso-level factor, remained a consistently significant predictor for both adult and child food insecurity, regardless of race/ethnicity. There were also several key differences in predictors across racial/ethnic groups. Being Spanish speaking and mother's health status were only significant for Latinx/Hispanic mothers, and neighborhood support was not significant for Latinx/Hispanic mothers. Drawing from ecological theory, our study explores the micro-, meso-, and exo-/macro-level variables that influence food insecurity. Findings suggest that access to social support is crucial for disadvantaged families avoiding food insecurity, despite race/ethnicity. Still, factors predicting food insecurity may be racialized and should be recognized as such. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Superwomen Schema (SWS) describes a social framework that encompasses the role that many Black women adopt in response to chronic stress, financial pressures, and an intersection of oppression. Woods-Giscombé (Superwoman Schema: African American Women's Views on Stress, Strength, and Health. Qualitative Health Research 20 (5): 668–683, 2010) characterizes SWS using five tenets: obligation to manifest strength, obligation to suppress emotions, resistance to vulnerability or dependency, determination to succeed despite a lack of resources, and an obligation to help others. The goal of this study is to determine the connection between SWS among Black women and substance use as a means of maintaining mental health, garnering resilience, and coping with external pressures. We aimed to highlight systemic and infrastructural racism and prejudice and how they relate, not only to the adoption of SWS, but also how they may contribute to substance use. This study is a secondary analysis of a larger study on HIV prevention Black and Latine women at high risk for HIV. Only Black participants (n = 10) were included in this secondary analysis. The interviews were conducted 3 times across 3 months. Interviews were coded and analyzed using thematic content analysis in NVivo. Themes of undiagnosed mental health symptoms, medical mistrust, institutional distrust, and aversion to help-seeking were recurrent in our data. Our research confirmed and assessed dual repercussions of SWS among Black women both as a defense that granted resilience in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds and as a construct that encouraged substance use as a coping mechanism for compromised mental health. This study contextualized this subset of coping and substance use to address and dismantle systemic contributors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, students around the world are experiencing a number of mental health challenges due to fear, isolation, death of loved ones, loss of jobs, virtual learning, political and civil unrest, and perceived loss of control. Many of the challenges experienced had the potential to affect academic success and career choice decisions. Three hundred thirty-two HBCU students participated in the 2021 Healthy Minds Survey to provide data regarding their personal, social, and mental health concerns. This research focused not only on the challenges these students experienced but also their coping strategies, resource utilization and their level of resilience as assessed via Brief Resilience Scale. Despite experiencing anxiety, depression, suicidal ideations, financial and food insecurity, and political and civil unrest, a significant number of students exhibited normal to high levels of resilience and 45% were experiencing positive mental health. Ten variables were examined to determine which factors might influence student's ability to "bounce back." Three variables related to social support were found to have a statistically significant impact on resilience levels. Implications for future research are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black women disproportionately experience higher rates of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and cardiovascular disease; as well as misdiagnosed depression and anxiety and overdiagnosis of schizophrenia. The combined effect of gendered racism and intergenerational trauma amplify Black women's health experiences. Healing these diseases by addressing the emotional root causes is critical. An imbalance of emotions like fear, withdrawal, apathy, listlessness, disgust, frustration, rage, anxiety, inferiority, submission, and bewilderment can manifest as physical representations of depression, anxiety, and other chronic health conditions. Heal the emotion(s), heal the disease(s) is a common approach found in Indigenous, African, and Chinese sciences, medicines, and ways of knowing. Black women experience gendered racism and intergenerational trauma due to the historical, ongoing, and contemporary daily trauma of living as a Black woman in the Americas. Navigating these oppressions in addition to other general stressors creates a need for an accessible tool designed to address and combat these emotional difficulties for Black women's mental, emotional, and physical health. This explanatory mechanism of emotions and their inextricable linkages to physical representations of illness/disease provides a lens for understanding how to address the effects of chronic health inequities. Implications for community intervention, dissemination and research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue draws together Black feminist, womanist, mujerista, and anti-racist approaches to theory and praxis. Authors provide recommendations and guidance toward liberatory approaches to psychology, therapy, activism, and healing. The collection builds upon presentations and conversations that took place at the Association for Women in Psychology 2021 virtual conference about how to best work toward a more just, anti-racist, and liberatory world as feminist and womanist therapists in increasingly difficult social contexts. The articles provide important herstories, testimonies, analyses, and promising actions. Together, these works invite readers to join together in imagining and enacting radically inclusive paths to healing and collective liberation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the negative implications of transactional sexual relationships (TSRs) for women's sexual and reproductive health, studies of social norms in sub-Saharan and South Africa have sought to inform HIV-related risk and interventions in this key population. To date, however, little research has investigated the normative conflicts facing women in African settings when initiating, continuing or abstaining from participation in TSRs. In 2017–2018, we investigated conflicts black South African women in KwaZulu-Natal expressed between adhering to social versus personal norms in TSRs with "blessers"—wealthy men who gift women financially or materially—typically in exchange for sex. Participants expressed conflicts between social norms of blesser engagement to satisfy aspirations for money/material items vs. personal norms of retaining virginity and fidelity to partners. Women largely ignored adverse sexual health risks of HIV and unintended pregnancy. Participants highlighted internal conflicts, prompting reflection on their desires, choices and normative behaviors, also informing women's self-concept, self-efficacy and desires for relationship satisfaction. Greater reflection from women about personal norms and values—and attention to their self-efficacy in relationships—may assist in understanding and advancing women's holistic health and wellbeing in research and interventions among this population and potentially women in other settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black individuals are at particularly high risk for birth-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, in part due to a lack of opportunity to lead maternity care decisions. Maternal care providers need evidence-based ways to reduce pregnant persons' risk for birth-related PTSD symptoms despite reduced autonomy in decision making resulting from heightened restrictions on reproductive rights. We investigated whether a potential relation between autonomy in decision making and birth-related PTSD symptoms would be moderated by being mistreated or feeling respected by maternity care providers in a community sample of Black women (N = 52; Mage = 28.2 years, SDage = 5.7 years) seeking maternity care at a public hospital in the southeastern United States. At six weeks postpartum, participants completed measures assessing autonomy in decision making, current birth-related PTSD symptoms, number of mistreatment events, and feelings of respect from providers during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Autonomy in decision making was negatively correlated with birth-related PTSD symptoms, r=−.43, p <.01. An interaction between autonomy in decision making and mistreatment by providers was trending toward significance, B=−.23, SE=.14, p =.10. Autonomy in decision making and feeling respected by maternity care provider interacted to predict birth-related PTSD symptoms, B =.05, SE=.01, p <.01. Feeling respected by providers may buffer against the negative effects of lack of autonomy in decision making on birth-related PTSD symptoms, highlighting the importance of providers' ability to convey respect to pregnant patients when they cannot lead care decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there is growing research on the structural and institutional barriers experienced by Black women faculty at predominantly White institutions (PWIs), little is known about the systemic marginalization faced by Black women doctoral students at these institutions, particularly those in doctoral social work programs. Given the increasing number of Black women doctoral students in social work programs at PWIs, there is a need to understand how social work doctoral education upholds institutional whiteness through attempts to whitewash Black women's research and scholarship. This article contextualizes the experiences of Black women social work doctoral students using Black feminist thought perspective. The authors provide implications for social work doctoral education to dismantle structures that facilitate whitewashing experiences for Black women doctoral students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue is comprised of six peer-reviewed, empirical articles focused on communication and socialization in Black families. These articles collectively explore how Black families: (a) navigate experiences of police brutality, (b) manage grief after loss, (c) engage in racial, gender, and sexual socialization of children, and (d) make sense of Black motherhood. Each article is theoretically driven and methodologically robust, offering important advancements in research on communication in Black families. In this introduction, we preview and elucidate each article's theoretical underpinnings, main findings, and overall richness as it pertains to this special issue. We then discuss collective implications stemming from this body of work. Next, we offer positionality statements that trace the genesis of this special issue on Black families. Last, we share concluding thoughts on why representation matters and reiterate our shared responsibility as scholars to include diverse others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even with heightened scrutiny and augmented visibility of cases, the Black community continues to experience police brutality more than their racial counterparts. Previous research has highlighted the prominence of the Black family in the process of racial socialization and identity construction, and other research has reinforced the family as an influential factor in one's perception of police. However, still, there is a significant absence of communication-centered research that analyzes the issue of police brutality, especially within the Black family. This is true even though police brutality has a well-documented and long-lasting impact on the Black family. Therefore, guided by core tenets of Critical Race Theory, this qualitative study utilized interviews to analyze how interviewees from Black families communicate about police brutality. The following themes emerged from the analysis: (1) Critical Cases: family members remember Trayvon Martin and Sandra Bland, (2) Critical Incidents: communication about first-hand accounts and familial stories, and (3) Critical Conversations: stages of "the Talk." Findings from this study can be used to understand better how Black families navigate police brutality, an issue known to increase stress, trauma, and rates of race-based mortality. This study's findings can be applied to social work, family therapy, and mental health fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study used Black feminist theory and methods to examine messages about the composition of, and potential differences in the sexual health that Black women received from male and female loved ones. Black feminist theory grounded the study by ensuring Black women were involved in research team composition, design, recruitment, and data analysis. Our inductive thematic analysis of focus group data from 24 Black women revealed seven themes: Indirect Communication, Absence of Communication, Messages to Shield, and Prepare from male figures. The themes from female figures included: Absence of Communication, Open Communication, and Empowerment, Pleasure, and Judgment-Free Communication. A seventh theme that connected across gender focused on Objectification and Gender Stereotypes. Findings of the study suggest that there is a need for greater focus on improving family communication about sex for Black women and the need to center communication that empowers Black women to engage in healthy sexual practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research shows that families engage in gender and race specific parenting, guided by societal expectations around gender roles and the persistent racialized hierarchy. What is missing is an analysis of how racialized gender socialization impacts the preparation of Black girls for womanhood. Here we utilized in depth interviewing to uncover messages Black millennial women (N = 9) received about Black womanhood. Our results showed three key themes, Black parents ignored topics of race when sharing messages of socialization and preparation for adulthood for Black girls; Black parents focused largely on educational and vocational achievement to invalidate racist stereotypes placed on Black girls; and Black parents focused on providing guidance to protect Black girls from potential harmful relationships. These findings highlight key ascribed attributes to womanhood for Black women, which can guide mental health practice and illuminates the need for future research on racialized gender socialization that accounts for generation, race, and gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Negative perceptions of institutional racial climate relate to worse mental health outcomes for Black college students. Yet, few scholars have considered how Black students' perceptions of the institutional climate for other underrepresented groups may impact mental health. Participants and Methods: We drew on a national sample of Black college students across 15 institutions (n = 1188) to examine the effects of institutional diversity climate on students' anxiety, depression, and positive mental health. Results: Black students who perceived the campus as more welcoming to first-generation reported higher positive mental health. Black students who perceived the campus as more welcoming to racial minorities, lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB), and low socioeconomic status (SES) students reported lower levels of depression and anxiety. Conclusions: Black students' perceptions of the institutional diversity climate for other groups influences their mental health outcomes, and underscores the need for more research on individual-level differences in students' mental health processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online racism is a digital social determinant to health inequity and an acute and widespread public health problem. To explore the heterogeneity of online racism exposure within and across race, we latent class modelled this construct among Asian (n = 310), Black (n = 306), and Latinx (n = 163) emerging adults in the United States and analysed key demographic and psychosocial health correlates. We observed Low and Mediated Exposure classes across all racial groups, whereas High Exposure classes appeared among Asian and Black people and the Systemic Exposure classes emerged uniquely in Asian and Latinx people. Generally, the High Exposure classes reported the greatest psychological distress and unjust views of society compared to all other classes. The Mediated and Systemic Exposure classes reported greater mental health costs than the Low Exposure classes. Asian women were more likely to be in the Mediated Exposure class compared to the Low Exposure class, whereas Black women were more likely to be in the Mediated Exposure class compared to both High and Low Exposure classes. About a third of each racial group belonged to the Low Exposure classes. Our findings highlight the multidimensionality of online racism exposure and identify hidden yet divergently risky subgroups. Research implications include examination of class membership chronicity and change over time, online exposure to intersecting oppressions, and additional antecedents and health consequences of diverse forms of online racism exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theory provokes and stimulates. This theoretical essay blurs the boundaries between academic and creative non-fiction writing to illustrate Black women artists mining self-serving economies of embodied, affective pleasure by crafting womanist erotica, that is, Black woman/girl-centred, eros-charged art, music, and literature. I play with words to produce a polyvocal diptych essay theorising the wonder of womanist erotica and elucidating my politics, perspectives and practices as a Black woman(ist) creative writer and educator concerned with Black women and girls' sex education. My illumination of, and indulgence in, corporeal pleasure is underpinned by knowledge of (a) the pain that characterises many Black women and girls' educational and schooling experiences broadly, but also specifically with regards to sex education; and (b) the racialised, gendered, and culturally situated feeling of shame that arises for many during sexual play, that is, during our participation in sexually (self-)gratifying acts. Hence, I offer a potent(ially) viscerally pleasurable reading experience while aiming to deepen intellectual and embodied understandings of the empowering rapture that womanist erotica can ignite. In addition to naming and (re)claiming sexual desire as a prerogative, I think through womanist erotica as a tool for excavating a spiritually rooted erotic economy of (self-)pleasure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To live in the wake of slavery is to be vulnerable to violence known and unknown to ourselves and to always have those violent possibilities legally and scientifically justified. This research asks in what ways do Black people communicate care for each other while living in structures of racial oppression? I look to the Black performative arena, specifically hip-hop, to explore the ways Black hip-hop lyrics provides an avenue to care for lost Black lives in ways not possible by state-institutions. This research uses ethnographic content analysis of posthumous released songs about Nipsey Hussle to explore the ways he has been engaged in the wake of his death. I argue that in the wake of Nipsey's passing hip-hop served as a form of wake-work praxis and has cared for Nipsey by keeping his voice alive, changing the discursive contours of contemporary hip-hop using his brand, and named him in ways that challenge how the state-institutions position Black subjectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social work education is considered an important venue for advancing the field's commitment to anti-racism. This research employed collective autobiographical methods within a Critical Race Theory framework to explore Black social work students' experiences of anti-Black racism in the learning environment of a Predominantly White Institution. Data was analyzed through a collaborative, inductive approach. Analysis revealed four interrelated themes: 1) racial microaggressions directed at Black students; 2) the perceived complicity of school administration in maintaining a racist environment; 3) the harm that an anti-Black racist learning environment caused to Black students; and 4) a relational approach to challenging anti-Black racism in the learning environment. Findings underscore the need for increased attention to racism in the implicit social work curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social work faculty have had to manage the complexities of delivering quality education amid the coronavirus pandemic. While some faculty had support from their institution, factors of service, scholarship, student advising, and technology capacity became meaningful lessons for faculty development. The authors relied on strength as a mechanism to navigate through this unprecedented time. Strong Black Woman (SBW) schema and resilience theory are the anchors of this continuum on opposite sides. The shared perspectives of three Black women faculty as (a) an instructor with an administrative appointment, (b) a teaching fellow, and (c) an adjunct instructor at varying institutions will demonstrate how the SBW schema and resilience theory have guided their ability to adapt to changes during the global pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiences of Black social work faculty with Black administrators is understudied. This mixed-methods study used a phenomenological approach to explore the experiences of Black social work faculty and staff (N = 55; Mage = 44.26, SD = 12.07) currently or previously supervised by a Black administrator. The main findings were that participants had more autonomy and positive interactions, formal or informal visible supports, and support and understanding from their administrators. Several respondents identified more affective perceptions and feelings rather than actual behaviors to describe negative experiences. Future research should expand the instrument to include more characteristics of administrators, the context of the respondent, and collect information from Black administrators on how they view their roles when working with Black faculty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The American Public Health Association (APHA) and prominent U.S. health organizations have acknowledged racism as a central cause of health inequality. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. confronts an additional public health crisis: mass impairment from Long COVID. Occupational segregation and institutionalized racism have made working-class Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) more likely to experience Long COVID. Medical gatekeepers also prevent equal access to health: BIPOC face more obstacles in their search for disability accommodations and social support. To provide health equity to the Long COVID community, Disability Studies must confront racialized understandings of chronic pain and the consequences of these meanings by centering the lived experiences of BIPOC living with chronic pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black women are at heightened risk for intimate partner violence and murder by an intimate partner. For these women, the relationships between race, gender, and class and its impact within larger society are reinforced by threats to their survival within their own homes. This qualitative study queries contributors to Black women's resilience. Applying Black feminist theory as an analytical framework that fosters insights from the experiences of six Black women with histories of intimate partner violence, we highlight tools that aid in the survival and navigation of intimate partner violence. With resilience as the topic of inquiry, we illustrate three prominent categories: contributors to resilience, endurance strategies, and self-defining features of resilience. The results highlight important considerations that may support the building of collaborative counseling relationships that reflect strength-based, culturally relevant, and trauma-informed service for Black women with histories of intimate partner violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neutrality in librarianship is a nonsensical concept that libraries of all kinds (e.g., public, academic, special, etc.) should not strive to embody in any shape or form. The following paper investigates the intricate relationships between neutrality and racism as they are demonstrated by tangible and intangible forms in library and information science (LIS) spaces. Ian Williams' book chapter, "More Than Half of Americans Can't Swim", from his book, Disorientation: Being Black in the World (2021), is utilized to critically reflect on Blackness as identity and some ways in which antiracist practices clash with neutrality within LIS spaces. I conclude with urgent reminders of how detrimental neutrality can be if it is not thoroughly rooted out and supplanted with antiracist practices that the LIS field is in dire need of. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

U.S. public health statistics report dismal Black infant and maternal mortality rates. Prenatal care alone, while essential, does not reduce such disparities. Objectives: The purpose of the study was to explore Black women's experiences when a perinatal support professional (PSP) accompanies them to prenatal medical appointments. Design: This research used a phenomenological approach, using data from in-depth individual interviews to explore the essence of 25 Black women's experiences. Results: We identified three major themes from the data that together, show that PSPs served as communication bridges for their clients. Clients said their PSPs helped them to understand and feel seen and heard by their medical providers during their prenatal appointments. The third theme was the deep level of trust the clients developed for their PSPs which made the first two themes possible. PSPs' intervention resulted in reduced stress and uncertainty in medical interactions and increased women's trust in their providers' recommendations. Conclusions: Including a trusted, knowledgeable advocate like a PSP may be an important intervention in improving Black women's prenatal care experiences, reducing stress associated with medical interactions, and ultimately reducing pregnancy-related health disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) and transgender women (BTW) are disproportionately affected by incarceration and HIV. We assessed factors associated with HIV testing and viral suppression among 176 incarcerated BMSM and BTW in Chicago, IL; Los Angeles, CA; and Houston, TX. In multivariable logistic regression, having a sexual orientation of bisexual, heterosexual, or other vs. gay or same-gender loving was associated with higher odds of testing in custody (aOR 8.97; 95% CI 1.95 - 41.24). Binge drinking (aOR 0.19; 95% CI 0.04 - 0.92) and being unemployed prior to incarceration (aOR 0.03; 95% CI 0.00 - 0.23) were associated with lower odds of testing; participants in Los Angeles were also more likely to be tested than those in Chicago. Being housed in protective custody (aOR 3.12; 95% CI 1.09-9.59) and having a prescription for ART prior to incarceration (aOR 2.58; 95% CI 1.01-6.73) were associated with higher odds of viral suppression when adjusted for site and duration of incarceration, though the associations were not statistically significant in the full multivariable model. Future research should examine structural and process level factors that impact engagement in HIV testing and treatment among detained BMSM and BTW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) can result in devastating and long lasting consequences. Differences in the nature of the abuse differ for males and females and this difference potentially influences recovery. However, studies of recovery from CSA, especially among men, are relatively few, especially for ethnic minority men. The study explored the lived experience of recovery from CSA among African-Caribbean Black male survivors of CSA living in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. The theoretical framework was the transactional model of stress and coping, which proposes that stress is an ongoing transaction between the demands of life and a person's psychological ability to address those demands. The study was qualitative in design, using an interpretive phenomenological approach, involving purposeful sampling, in-depth semi-structured interviews, and interpretive phenomenological analysis of the data informed by a critical race theory lens. The results showed that Black male survivors are situated in unique historical/sociocultural interrelationships that complicate recovery from CSA, including institutional racism and discrimination, restrictive narratives of masculinity, and other cultural norms. These findings can be used to influence policy makers, service providers, and communities, to more effectively support and address the needs of CSA survivors and their affected families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the cultural, social, and religious contexts of African-Caribbean women ageing without children. Drawing on in-depth biographical interviews with ten African-Caribbean women, the study aimed to develop insight into the experiences of women who were growing older without children. Thematic analysis highlighted the implications of early socialization and the complex intersections between childlessness, cultural and religious identity, and gender. The findings suggest that culture and religious beliefs were key factors in shaping the women's earlier socialization and views on family life, children, gender and marriage. However, there was variation in the extent to which some women's earlier socialization was retained into adulthood. Some women let go of earlier beliefs and practices, whereas others chose to keep the ones that they felt were important to them, which often influenced their decisions, choices and pathways regarding having children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student-athletes of color navigate white normativity daily, yet it is a form of racism rarely examined in sport psychology. Examining people of color's daily experience can be instructive to understanding how whiteness gets normalized and challenged in various contexts. Moreover, as white normativity is ubiquitous, research methodologies themselves must explicitly acknowledge and challenge white normativity. This study examined (a) manifestations of white normativity in the daily lives of student-athletes of color, (b) student-athletes of color's processes of negotiating and navigating whiteness, and (c) methodological designs for creating safe spaces for student-athletes of color to make meaning of race. Seven women student-athletes of color engaged in group and individual interviews during which the interviewer foregrounded race and racism and facilitated participants' meaning-making. Specifically, building from humanizing research and heeding the call for empirical spaces to be culturally-responsive, participant storytelling was encouraged and stories were reexamined through critical lenses. Through our findings, we illustrate how women student-athletes of color are not merely passive recipients of dominant (white) culture but, in different ways, active agents negotiating their status as athletes, women, and people of color within white normative contexts. Conscious of their deviance from the white norm, participants engaged in continuous negotiation processes of normalizing, nuancing, and resisting whiteness. Lay summary: Racism is often thought of as racist people harming people of color with malintent. In this paper, we show how racism is upheld and maintained even without individual racists through the normalization of whiteness. We also examined the everyday experiences of women student-athletes of color navigating, negotiating, and resisting white normativity. Racism is not limited to overt actions perpetrated by individuals with intent to harm but, rather, through the normalization of whiteness. Thus, we must all critically examine the racial implications of our everyday assumptions Studying race must be done thoughtfully and explicitly as racial consciousness is subverted due to white normativity in academia, research, and society There are diverse positions women student-athletes of color can take as they navigate daily racism and white normativity. Sport and exercise psychology (SEP) professionals should hold space for student-athletes of color to consider their perspectives as there is no single right way to dismantle racism. SEP professionals must also actively seek for strategies to agitate and disrupt white normativity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]