DOES REPRESENTATION REALLY MATTER? BLACK UNDERGRADUATE WOMEN’S STORIES OF IDENTITY, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, AND (DIS)CONNECTIONS WITH BLACK FEMALE CHARACTERS IN POPULAR CULTURE Torri Allyce Staton A dissertation submitted to the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Education (Cultural Studies and Literacies). Approved by: Sherick Hughes Eileen Parsons Charles Price Charlene Regester Xue L. Rong Alison LaGarry ©2019 Torri Allyce Staton ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii ABSTRACT Torri Allyce Staton: Does Representation Really Matter? Black Undergraduate Women’s Stories of Identity, Academic Achievement, and (Dis)Connections with Black Female Characters in Popular Culture (Under the direction of Dr. Sherick Hughes) Black consumers watch and stream television at a higher percentage than any other demographic. Research has shown that presence of Black teachers, administrators, and school officials has positively influenced Black students’ academic success. Research on how Black students understand and connect to portrayals of Blackness is needed in order to best understand the influence that presence and representation in popular culture has on Black students, their identities, and their academic achievement. There have been statements presented predominantly on social media that representation matters – implying that it is important for adolescents to see representations of themselves in popular culture – including on television and film screens. This study aims to understand the types of academic and racial affirmation do Black female students describe when revisiting K-12 school – related academic experiences. This study also aims to analyze what experiences of Black characters in television and film intersect with the academic experiences described by Black female undergraduates as affirming their racial and academic identities. This study used a life narrative methodology with data collected through a series of interviews. The researcher sought to better understand pieces of the life of the interlocutor to provide context to their academic and popular culture experiences. The iii goal of this study was for participants to tell their own stories of academic identity, popular culture, and how both of those identities have been affirmed in school environments, in the community, and in the home. This study also sought to understand how the Black female characters in television shows and films these women watched affirmed and influenced them. This study found that all of the women connected to Black actresses and Black female characters in a variety of types of roles for racial and academic affirmation. This included attributing Black womanhood to animated characters that were depicted as “race-less”. Additionally, being in a predominantly Black school environment led to an association between academic identity and racial identity. This study contains important implications as to how Black women develop racial and academic identities and the role that popular culture and media plays in this development. iv To my Mom, Dad in heaven, Ashley, and Nick. To every Black woman who has educated and/or schooled me. To every Black girl and/or woman that I have or will ever educate and/or school. To all Black girls – who often have no other choice but to be magical. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I consider it an impossible feat to thank everyone who has contributed to my physical, mental, and spiritual well being throughout this process. If I have omitted you – please, as wise Black folks say, charge it to my head and not my heart. First and foremost, I would like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Romans 8:28 says “And we know that all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.” No weapon formed against me has prospered. I thank God for peace, strength, and unparalleled love throughout this process. It is my hope that all of the things I am blessed to accomplish in this life gives God glory, for God is the solid rock on which I stand. To the members of my committee: I cannot thank you all enough for your time, expertise, and mentorship throughout this process. To my advisor, Dr. Hughes, thank you for your tutelage, expertise, and care in these last four years. Thank you for always encouraging me. Dr. LaGarry (Alison) – thank you for your friendship, mentorship, and guidance in this last four years. You were one of the first doctoral students I met here – I’m so thankful for your presence! Dr. Rong – I will cherish our conversations and the confidence you have helped me develop in these last four years. Dr. Price – thanks for bringing swag to my committee. Thank you for guiding me and encouraging me in my work through my process, all while giving amazing advice. I’m prouder of this work vi because of your guidance and style! To Dr. Parsons–thank you for everything you have done. Your advice and guidance has truly been priceless. Your feedback has changed the type of scholar I am–for that I am grateful. Thank you for shining your Black girl magic onto me–it made this experience that much more special. Dr. Regester–thank you for being you for the past eleven years. The most authentic and enriching conversations I have had about my scholarship have been with you. You taught me everything I know about film–learning from you has been an honor! You have changed the lives of so many students besides my own and you are royalty on UNC’s campus–know that! I would not be here without you, Dr. Regester. To the spaces at UNC–Chapel Hill who have supported me – I thank you so much. To the High School Journal – thank you for challenging me and making me a better writer. To the Office of Undergraduate Retention – thank you for your encouragement, care, and space to write. It has been a joy working with such wonderful people. To Gregg at the Stone Center Library – thank you for the amazing food and wonderful love! Last but definitely not least, to the Institute of African American Research– thank you! Amatullah, Karla, Gregg, and Angela–you all have loved on me since I returned to UNC as a graduate student and your nurturing has meant so much to me. Thank you for the love, guidance, and laughs! To the women of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated – thank you for your prayer, love, guidance, and support throughout these years. To the Chi Rho Omega chapter, my big sisters, and my co-initiates – thank you all for always celebrating my milestones with me. Your affirmation and love these past couple of years have been vii invaluable. It is my honor to serve all mankind alongside you all as my sisters. It is an honor to be a part of this wonderful sisterhood. To all of my fellow doctoral students who have been writing buddies, mentors and friends – thank you for your love, encouragement, mentorship, and guidance. Danny– thank you for your great conversations and for being a safe space. I appreciate you and your friendship. Beth – thank you for your encouragement and conversations. We are doing it WEE–even if we have no idea what that is ☺! To my fellow UNC SOE Black graduate students, current and former, with whom we have become a community–thank you! Alecia, Candice, Jerry, Jay, Olivia, Amber, Cortland, Brittany, and so many others– you all uplifting me in this process has been invaluable. I’m proud to walk beside you as BLACKademics. Ronda, girl! Thank you for all of our conversations and your belief in me! Thank you for letting me vent to you and validating me. It means so much to me to be able to call you my homegirl. Black girl magic! Fabiola – Thank you for your encouragement and conversations! Thank you for your love, nurturing, and honesty–it has meant so much to me. Sarah–thank you for your amazing friendship. All of the conversations, encouragement, work that we’ve done together, and love and guidance you’ve given me has meant so much to me – it is truly priceless to me, and I cherish it. Ronda, Favi, Beth, and Sarah–you all took me in, nurtured me, and showed me the ropes when I first started graduate school–and I am so thankful for your friendship. I have so much love for you all. To my close circle of great friends–Marcus in heaven, Nicky, DeSean, Jessica, LaSonya, Sarah, Kayla, Lindsay–you all have been with me through so many things. Thank you all for being wonderful friends throughout this process. For letting me vent, viii cry, scream, complain, laugh, and everything else–I thank you all. I could not have done this without your support. To my family–I thank you all. All of my cousins, aunts, uncles, and everyone else–thank you for your love and encouragement. Uncle Charles and Aunt Bev–thank you for always reaching out to me and encouraging me in the Lord. Charity and Renee–thank you both for your love and support. To my non-blood family– Aunt Joanne, Renee and the Best family, Mrs. Shirley and the McCall family–blood couldn't make us stronger. Thank you all for being my family. To my core – Nick, Ashley, Dad, and Mom. Ashley and Nick–thank you for being the best siblings ever… kind of (lol). You all encourage me, listen to me (even when I get on your nerves), and you both are always being in my corner. Y’all are my first best friends–and I’m so thankful for both of you. To my Mom–thank you for the sacrifice of raising me and for giving your all to Ashley, Nick, and me.