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TEACHING THE PSYCHOLOGY OF BLACK WOMEN

Section 1 Psychology of Black Woman Conference 

APA Division 35, Section 1: Psychology of Black Women      Virtual Event

This examines the importance of integrating the Psychology of Black Womanhood into psychology education, research, and applied practice. Presented through the APA Division 35, Section 1: Psychology of Black Women Conference, this session highlights the need for curricula that move beyond foundational concepts to engage the complexity, diversity, and lived experiences of Black women. Drawing from empirical research and the Psychology of Black Womanhood book, the presentation provides educators with evidence-based frameworks for developing courses that center Black women’s psychological experiences, strengths, identities, and sociocultural contexts. In addition to scholarly content, the session emphasizes practical teaching tools—including podcasts, applied classroom activities, and other experiential resources—that support meaningful translation of research into real-world learning environments. Participants will gain strategies for creating inclusive, rigorous, and relevant educational experiences that prepare students to better understand and engage with the psychological realities of Black women.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH FOR GLOBAL HEALTH SCHOLARS: CONDUCTING RESEARCH CENTERING NON WESTERN EXPERIENCES

Global Health Emerging Scholars Annual Orientation 

National Institutes of Health- Fogarty Center       Bethesda, MD

This introduces emerging global health researchers to approaches that prioritize local knowledge, lived experiences, and culturally grounded perspectives. Designed for scholars participating in the Global Health Emerging Scholars Annual Orientation through the National Institutes of Health–Fogarty Center, the workshop explores the principles and practices of ethical qualitative inquiry across diverse global settings. Participants will examine methods for designing research that challenges dominant Western frameworks, fosters equitable partnerships, and centers the voices of communities often underrepresented in global health research. Through discussion and practical examples, the session highlights strategies for conducting culturally responsive data collection, interpretation, and dissemination to support more inclusive and impactful global health scholarship.

INSTRUMENTALIZED IDENTITIES: EXAMINING POWER AND LEGITIMACY IN COMMUNITY ENGAGED RESEARCH

Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues Annual Conference

American Psychological Association: Division 9        New Orleans, LA

Black individuals face disproportionate online vulnerabilities shaped by structural racism, algorithmic bias, and unequal access to digital education. Research indicates that Black users are more likely to experience targeted harassment, surveillance, doxxing, and coordinated misinformation campaigns across platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and X. Dr. Dionne Stephens's presentation draws on interview and survey data from more than 200 Black adults to examine how media literacy shapes online risk. While digital safety is often framed as an individual responsibility, findings reveal that structural gaps in media literacy education play a central role in producing vulnerability. Limited representation in technology policy, educational design, and platform governance further constrains opportunities for culturally grounded risk education. Next steps for community-centered approaches and inclusive curricula to strengthen media literacy, reduce online harm, and empower Black users to navigate digital environments critically and safely are discussed.

LOGGED IN AND LEFT OUT: BLACK DIGITAL VULNERABILITIES IN THE AGE OF ALGORITHMIC RISK

Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues Annual Conference

American Psychological Association: Division 9        New Orleans, LA

Retirement has never simply reflected individual planning; it has been structured by racial capitalism and gendered labor expectations that determine whose work is valued and whose rest is deferred. For Black women, employment trajectories have unfolded at the intersection of racism, sexism, and ageism, interlocking systems that have constrained wealth accumulation and retirement access. 

We discuss preliminary findings that revealed three main themes: structural inequities shaping timing and preparedness, agency through community support and planning, and retirement as a time for rest, self-determination, and liberation. These findings underscore how Black women navigate structural barriers, exercising resilience, and empowerment in retirement.

LOGGED IN AND LEFT OUT: BLACK DIGITAL VULNERABILITIES IN THE AGE OF ALGORITHMIC RISK

Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues Annual Conference

American Psychological Association: Division 9        New Orleans, LA

Community-engaged research is frequently framed as collaborative and justice-oriented; however, BIPOC scholars often navigate layered inequities across institutions, professional networks, and the very communities they seek to serve. These inequities include the extraction or “poaching” of ideas and labor without acknowledgment, the instrumentalization of identity for institutional legitimacy, heightened visibility coupled with vulnerability, and community mistrust shaped by historical harm and institutional betrayal. This four paper symposium foregrounds the role of communities in legitimizing and sustaining scholars from their own communities. We examine strategies for empowering community partners to recognize the structural barriers BIPOC scholars face within academic institutions and to actively advocate for equitable authorship, credit, and leadership roles. Ultimately, this session advances a model of graduate training that prepares scholars not only to conduct community-engaged research, but to navigate and transform the inequitable systems in which that research takes place.