Filtering by
- Creators: School of Social Transformation
- Creators: Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business
- Member of: Theses and Dissertations
Research has shown that being a female athlete in a male-dominated sports world is an oppressive burden, yet the experiences of being a black female athlete have been largely ignored. To combat this lack of attention, this paper invokes communication and feminist theorist Bell Hook's concept of moving black women from margin to center to reveal the intersectional oppression of gender and racial narratives that they face in sports. By outlining the difference between white and black femininity and studying media portrayals of popular black female athletes such as Venus and Serena Williams and others, it becomes obvious how black women are typecast into certain social and athletic roles. This research also includes an auto-ethnographic component of my own experience as a black female lacrosse player at the NCAA Division I level. This component functions as a point of comparison and contrast of the ideas and concepts I discuss. Lastly, I offer recommendations and suggestions as to how to empower young black female athletes and retain them in a variety of sports. The goal of my thesis is to place special attention onto black women in an area which there is an extreme lack of representation. My own empirical research has led me to the conclusion that not only is such a discussion important, but it is absolutely necessary. If we are to fight back against hegemonic social structures such as racism and gender roles in the sports world, we must first understand what we are up against. My thesis gives us a glimpse into our imposing opponents, and I hope that future research continues this trend so that black female athletes like myself may one day be considered an athlete in the same sense that our white peers are.
The Green Gamers is a start-up concept revolving around incentivizing healthy eating in Arizonan adolescents through the use of reward-based participation campaigns (popularized by conglomerates like Mondelez and Coca-Cola)
Does a consistent mentor help a youth transition into a secure and independent adult life? To answer this, I have used a grounded theory methodology to research elements of the foster care system. Through academic research, I audited the landscape of mentoring within foster care and then helped in the designing of a framework for a foster youth mentoring service could look like and have researched the areas in which a mentor can benefit a youth. I have listened to and recorded the stories of three college students with lived foster care experience so that I could learn from those who have firsthand experience. After using these methods, the findings showed that a consistent mentor figure is a key factor in the transition into a secure and independent adult life.
Exploring the Veil of Blackness is a creative project in the form of a podcast titled UKME America”. UKME America stands for Uwem mi Kederimbot America, which means “my life in the world in America”. It aims to explore the differences that divide individuals within the black community from a perspective of a First-Generation African American. It also illustrates how diverse the black community is. Drawing from my own experiences and research, this led me to a common theme centered around the following four questions: (a) what is it like to lose one’s identity; (b) where does this insecurity stem from; (c) how does society impact the way we view ourselves; and (d) how can we uplift ourselves. In my podcast, I interviewed individuals who identified as African Americans, First Generation African Americans, and Africans.
Everyone I interviewed told me their stories using historical, social, and cultural narratives. Overall, I want individuals to understand that there is fluidity behind the meaning of “black”, and the more individuals learn to embrace their differences, the more we can break down the barriers, put a united front, fight societal discrimination. I would like to thank my thesis director Dr. Neveser Köker and Second Committee Chair, Matthew Voorhees. I want to thank them for their guidance, motivation, patience, and for pushing and challenging me to reach new heights. I also would like thank my mom and Dr. Cynthia Patiño, for their constant encouragement and support. This would not have been possible without them.