Black Women\u27s Lives - Mental Health

The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of attending a predominately white institution on the mental health of Black women. Interviews with self-identifying Black women ranging in age from 18-24 help us to understand the effects of being a minority in a space that claims to celebrate and embrace diversity. Interview questions range in topic from anxiety and depression, feelings of inclusion and exclusion, and how these things are combated. This study focuses on the specific conceptualization and framework of Black women’s lives. Results will be examined through the perspective of Historical Womanist Theory (Rousseau, Nicole. "Historical Womanist Theory: Re-Visioning Black Feminist Thought." Race, Gender & Class 20, no. 3/4 (2013): 191-204) which states that the circumstances of Black women’s lives must be viewed through the context of historical phenomena and oppressive systems such as racism and sexism. The outcome of this study is expected to bring understanding of how Black women cope and empower themselves.