Join the UGA Qualitative Research Program for the UGA QUAL Lab Speaker Series: “Miles away, but in our own backyard”: A participatory action study examining relationships between historically white institutions and black communities presented by Dr. Roshaunda Breeden on Wednesday, October 23rd from 2PM – 3PM Eastern Time.
Register at: https://bit.ly/UGAQL08
In her presentation, Dr. Breeden will present a rich discussion of the relationships between historically white institutions (HWIs) and their local Black communities, using a participatory action research (PAR) methodology grounded in Critical Race Theory (CRT) and undergirded by endarkened feminist epistemology. The study focuses on two key research questions: (a) How do Black communities experience and make meaning of their local HWI? and (b) How does history intersect between Black communities and the university?
Rooted in PAR, the study involved two Black undergraduate co-researchers from Athens, Georgia, and employed an intergenerational approach to data collection, centering the voices of Black undergraduate students, community leaders, and families from the Athens-Clarke County area. Findings revealed strained relationships, intentional erasure of Black history, and a legacy of institutional racism from their local HWI, the University of Georgia (UGA). In collaboration with the community, participants’ experiences were shared through Athens Vignettes, a stage play featuring three vignettes, which offered a powerful medium for performative counter-storytelling to highlight these injustices.
Although the study is situated in Athens, Georgia, the implications extend to institutions with similar historical legacies across the United States. HWIs can improve their relationships with Black communities by acknowledging their racial histories, atoning for the harm caused, and instituting systemic changes to benefit future generations of Black families and communities. This session invites attendees to reflect on the roles of power, history, and race in shaping university-community relationships and to consider strategies for fostering equitable and just research partnerships.
The presenter: Dr. Roshaunda Breeden
An educator, researcher, and playwright—Dr. Roshaunda Breeden (she/her) is an assistant professor of Higher Education Opportunity, Equity, and Justice in the College of Education at North Carolina State University. She received a Ph.D. in College Student Affairs Administration and certificate in Interdisciplinary Qualitative Studies, from the Mary Frances Early College of Education at the University of Georgia. Breeden’s research agenda centers on fostering equitable learning environments for minoritized students, leaders, and communities. All her work connects to equity and justice in higher education, and methodologically, she pushes the bounds of qualitative research, employing innovative approaches such as participatory action research (PAR) and arts-based research, including theatrical performance as a means of data representation and dissemination.
In 2021, she was recognized for her groundbreaking scholarship with three dissertation awards, including the prestigious Bobby Wright Dissertation of the Year Award from the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE). Her creative and impactful research has been published in leading journals, including the Journal of Diversity in Higher Education and the Journal of Women and Gender in Higher Education.
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