Date of Award

6-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Publisher

Santa Clara : Santa Clara University, 2026

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Abstract

This study explored the self-perceptions of Black male students in secondary education in Oakland, California, with particular attention to racial and ethnic identity development. Through a qualitative research study, five Black male participants including educators, student participants, and alumni of Kingmakers of Oakland (KOO) engaged with identity collages and in-depth semi-structured interviews. Kingmakers of Oakland, a community-based organization dedicated to uplifting Black boys and men who’s culturally affirming practices shaped participants’ understanding of self, community, and their roles as emerging leaders within and beyond Oakland. This study was guided by two central research questions: (1) How does a community-based organization serving Black male high school students operationalize culturally affirming practices to support racial and ethnic identity development and life skills as pathways toward holistic development? (2) In what ways does Black Joy function as a transformative pedagogical praxis within Kingmakers of Oakland, cultivating culturally affirming spaces that advance academic achievement and social-emotional learning for Black male youth in secondary educational contexts? The key findings include: (a) Rooted and Reaching: intergenerational modeling as cultural pedagogy; (b) Intergenerational Wisdom fostering identity formation; (c) Accountability as care; and (d) Black Joy as a form of resistance. By centering the lived experiences of Black male youth, this study illuminates the transformative potential of culturally affirming and culturally sustaining practices, and community-driven educational support, while positioning Black Joy not as incidental, but as a deliberate and powerful force in the pursuit of liberation, belonging, and academic excellence.

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