Date of Award
6-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Publisher
Santa Clara : Santa Clara University, 2026
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Abstract
This critical autoethnography investigates the intersectional realities of navigating anti- Blackness, systemic racism, and heteronormativity within the American educational landscape. Moving chronologically through the dual lenses of student and teacher, this work unpacks the institutional erasure, surveillance, and microaggressions experienced by Black Queer bodies in academic spaces. Grounded in the theoretical framework of Black Queer Feminism (BQF), this study utilized Epistolary Letter Writing, Education Journey Mapping and Community Cultural Wealth to expose how the education system perpetuates anti-Blackness, white supremacist, heteronormative, patriarchal ideologies. Yet rather than centering trauma as the definitive narrative, this autoethnography elevates the concept of “Joy as Resistance.” It theorizes joy not as a passive state, but as a disruptive, political act of thriving and liberation. By documenting the strategic cultivation of radical self-love, Cultural Community Wealth, and unapologetic authenticity, this work offers a transformative Joy as Resistance toolkit for Black Queer Educators. Ultimately, this study demands a reimagining of educational spaces where Black Queer educators and students do not merely survive systemic hostility, but actively thrive, disrupt, and embody Joy as Resistance.
Recommended Citation
Brown, Mischelle, "Still Can’t Kill My Vibe: A Critical Autoethnography Navigating Anti-Blackness as a Student and Teacher—A Black Queer Educator’s Toolkit Towards Joyful Resistance" (2026). Social Justice in Educational Leadership EdD Dissertations. 33.
https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/ed_dissertations/33
