Navigating Racist Spaces through Radical Self-Care: A Photovoice Exploration of the Experiences of Black Graduate Students

Laetitia Adelson; Cherese Fine; Dion Harry; Keneisha Harrington; Becky Morgan; Tomiko Smalls; Travis Smith; Jerad Green; Courtney Allen; Anuoluwapo Bankole; Robin Phelps-Ward

doi:10.29333/ajqr/18019

Laetitia Adelson ¹ ^* , Cherese Fine ², Dion Harry ³, Keneisha Harrington ⁴, Becky Morgan ⁵, Tomiko Smalls ⁶, Travis Smith ⁷, Jerad Green ⁸, Courtney Allen ⁹, Anuoluwapo Bankole ¹⁰, Robin Phelps-Ward ¹⁰ ^*

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AM J QUALITATIVE RES, Volume 10, Issue 2, pp. 135-161

https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/18019

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Abstract

This manuscript examines the impact of racist campus climates for Black graduate students at a predominantly white institution. Using a photovoice methodological design, this study illuminates students’ ability to thrive through radical self-care despite the many racist factors, incidents, and systems at the institution. The paper ends with recommendations for improving campus racial climate in graduate education.

Keywords: campus climate, Black graduate students, photovoice, radical self-care

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Citation

Adelson, L., Fine, C., Harry, D., Harrington, K., Morgan, B., Smalls, T., . . . Phelps-Ward, R. (2026). Navigating Racist Spaces through Radical Self-Care: A Photovoice Exploration of the Experiences of Black Graduate Students. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 10(2), 135-161. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/18019

Adelson, L., Fine, C., Harry, D., Harrington, K., Morgan, B., Smalls, T., . . . Phelps-Ward, R. (2026). Navigating Racist Spaces through Radical Self-Care: A Photovoice Exploration of the Experiences of Black Graduate Students. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 10(2), pp. 135-161. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/18019

Adelson L, Fine C, Harry D, et al. Navigating Racist Spaces through Radical Self-Care: A Photovoice Exploration of the Experiences of Black Graduate Students. AM J QUALITATIVE RES. 2026;10(2), 135-161. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/18019

Adelson, Laetitia, Cherese Fine, Dion Harry, Keneisha Harrington, Becky Morgan, Tomiko Smalls, Travis Smith, Jerad Green, Courtney Allen, Anuoluwapo Bankole, and Robin Phelps-Ward. "Navigating Racist Spaces through Radical Self-Care: A Photovoice Exploration of the Experiences of Black Graduate Students". American Journal of Qualitative Research 2026 10 no. 2 (2026): 135-161. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/18019

Adelson, Laetitia et al. "Navigating Racist Spaces through Radical Self-Care: A Photovoice Exploration of the Experiences of Black Graduate Students". American Journal of Qualitative Research, vol. 10, no. 2, 2026, pp. 135-161. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/18019

Adelson L, Fine C, Harry D, Harrington K, Morgan B, Smalls T, et al. Navigating Racist Spaces through Radical Self-Care: A Photovoice Exploration of the Experiences of Black Graduate Students. AM J QUALITATIVE RES. 2026;10(2):135-61. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/18019