Antiblackness in the Academy: The Stories of Afro-Caribbean Students is a doctoral research study exploring how Afro-Caribbean students navigate antiblackness, identity, and belonging in U.S. higher education. Combining surveys, storytelling, group dialogue, and creative methods, this study centers the lived experiences and voices of Afro-Caribbean college students to better understand how they experience, respond to, and resist antiblackness. Share flyers!

The study invites Afro-Caribbean-identifying students to participate in one or more of the following components:

• Student Survey – A 20-30 minute anonymous online questionnaire that explores identity, campus climate, and personal experiences of antiblackness. Helps us understand broader trends across institutions.

• Semi-Structured Interviews – One-on-one in-depth conversations conducted in two phases to explore students’ life histories, educational journeys, and identity development in their own words.

• Critical Journaling and Storytelling Dropbox– A reflective writing or multimedia activity in which participants respond to weekly prompts over 4–6 weeks, supporting emotional processing, healing, and personal insight. A confidential online space for participants to submit personal stories, audio reflections, poetry, images, or other media at any time throughout the study.

Each method contributes uniquely to the research, from capturing emotional insight and personal growth to surfacing collective narratives and systemic patterns. This study affirms that participants are not just research subjects, but co-theorizers and knowledge holders.

To learn more or sign up, please visit the individual pages linked above. Your voice and experiences matter deeply—and I am honored to listen. 

Are you a faculty member or interested in learning more or partnering for this work? Please contact faith.northern@nyu.edu.

Project Status: Pilot Phase

I am currently piloting the survey and interview protocols for this study, with limited financial incentives available for participants during the pilot period. The pilot allows me to test and refine my research tools, ensuring that the final study is culturally responsive, accessible, and grounded in the lived experiences of Afro-Caribbean students.

Official Study Launch Projected for September 2025
After incorporating feedback and making revisions in early September, the official study will launch mid-to-late September 2025. At that time, I will invite students across select U.S. colleges and universities to participate in all of the following components:

If your club, organization, or network would like to receive an email invitation and digital materials when the official study goes live, please fill out this form. This ensures your members can participate and share their voices when recruitment begins.

In addition to surveys, interviews, and independent story submissions and journaling, I offer Guided Journaling, a series of weekly prompts designed to help participants reflect on their experiences of identity, belonging, and resistance. If you would like to be part of the Guided Journaling experience, please indicate your interest here. Otherwise, you are welcome to journal independently using the prompts here and decide whether or not to submit your reflections to the research team.