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Examining Care and Opposition in the Narratives of U.S. Local Women of Color Activists

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Abstract

Despite a long history of critical engagement in local justice movements, the efforts of U.S. Women of Color activists remain understudied. In the present study we examine the manifestations of opposition and care that Women of Color utilize in exercising and sustaining their activism as they work to build justice-oriented change in their communities. We specifically explore how oppositional consciousness and ethics of care shape the perspectives and actions of local Women of Color activists. Qualitative data were collected via oral history interviews with eight local Women of Color activists in Cincinnati, Ohio. Using thematic narrative analysis, we identified three overarching thematic phases: building awareness of inequity, conscious interdependence, and putting awareness into action. These three phases aid in understanding how the women developed their commitment to social justice activism both as individuals and in consideration of their relationships with others in the community. Furthermore, we consider theories of oppositional consciousness and ethics of care and how they manifest in each phase. We then discuss how these findings contribute to understanding the experiences and efforts of local Women of Color activists. Findings from our research suggest timely incentives for broader inclusion of underrepresented voices to better inform decision-making bodies.

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Interview protocol.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Dr. J.T. Roane and the Cincinnati Project for helping to develop and create this project. We are also indebted to Jamisha Miniefield, Abygia Tibebe, Sarvani Vemuri and Mindy Bediako for their assistance with this manuscript.

Funding

This research was supported by the Cincinnati Project at the University of Cincinnati, and a grant from the UC Black Faculty Association awarded to Dr. J.T. Roane.

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Correspondence to Anjali Dutt.

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Authors have no conflict of interest.

Research Involving Human Participants and/or Animals

Data for this research was gathered through semi-structured interviews with women activists. We followed the IRB protocols.

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Each participant signed the informed consent before the start of the interview.

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Chaudhary, N., Dutt, A. Examining Care and Opposition in the Narratives of U.S. Local Women of Color Activists. Sex Roles 85, 326–342 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-020-01218-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-020-01218-x

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