Congratulations to Lisa M. Torres who on Thursday, October 9, 2025, successfully defended her dissertation proposal.
The title of Lisa’s dissertation is, "HOT COMBS AND HAIR JOURNEYS: CHRONICLING BLACK YOUNG WOMEN’S LIVED EXPERIENCES OF HAIR DISCRIMINATION IN PREDOMINANTLY WHITE SCHOOLS."
Overview of Problem: Black young women frequently encounter dominant beauty standards that idealize Eurocentric features, such as straight, long hair, negatively impacting their self-esteem and sense of belonging. Dress code policies in schools often perpetuate this marginalization. In predominantly White schools, biases from both peers and educators, who may lack understanding of the cultural significance of their identity expressions related to hair, further diminish their self-expression and belonging.
Research Purpose: The purpose of my study is to chronicle the personal stories of Black young women who have experienced hair discrimination while attending predominantly White K-12 schools. Drawing on Black Feminist Thought (Collins, 2022) and Black Girlhood Studies (Brown, 2009) highlights how Black young women's hair expression can serve as a mechanism for self-definition and resistance against bias in predominantly White K-12 educational spaces.
Research Design: The research design for this study is qualitative, following an interpretive inquiry approach that allows for a deeper understanding of the participants' perspectives and experiences.
Sample: The sample for the study will consist of Black women aged 18 to 24 who have experienced hair discrimination in predominantly White K-12 school environments.
Data Collection: Semi-structured interviews will be used to collect narrative data from Black young women about their hair experiences within predominantly White K-12 schools.
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE CHAIR:
Dr. Kenneth Mitchell
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Dr. Samantha White
Dr. Sagrario Rudecindo-O'Neill
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