Against the Wind: Experiences of Some African American Women from the South Side of Chicago

Background:

Despite African American women from the South Side of Chicago (SSoC) encountering significant barriers- such as high poverty and unemployment rates- these women emerge as vital figures in their communities, challenging negative stereotypes that often accompany dominant narratives about their lives. African American women have made vital contributions to historical events and movements, by consistently playing leadership roles, establishing educational institutions, supporting organizations, and advocating in favor of their communities (Sales et al., 2020). This study aims to explore the lived experiences of some African American women who grew up in low-income families in the SSoC.

Methods:

Qualitative content analysis with a phenomenological approach was used to explore the experiences of African American women living in the SSoC (n=6). Three interviewees reported having a 4-year degree, 1 reported having a master's degree, and 2 reported having a doctorate degree. All 6 interviewees worked full-time, with 1 interviewee reporting an income between $30,000 – $59,999, 2 with incomes between $90,000 – $119,999, and 3 interviewees reported an annual household income of $120,000 or more. Secondary data was collected from a set of podcast interviews conducted by the second author, years prior to entering his doctoral studies. Interviews were selected based on following criteria: born & raised on SSoC and identified themselves as women of African American descent. Podcast interviews were transcribed using Otter software and were numbered 1 – 6 for the coding process. Interviews #1 and #2 were initially manually coded for the development of the codebook. Subsequently, Atlas ti. (8.4.5) was used as the analysis platform of choice for coding all six interviews.

Results:

Utilizing the frameworks of Black feminism, empowerment, and strengths perspective, findings revealed that while these women confront numerous adversities, they also demonstrate courage and agency. Four main themes were identified: support systems, values, professional careers and philanthropic activities. Participants identified the importance of support systems in their personal and professional lives with special focus on family, mother, and community role models. They also shared valuing education, economic security, self-awareness, responsibility, integrity, and self-love. Furthermore, interviewees provided insights regarding how education and their entrepreneurial qualities allowed them to accomplish professional success. Lastly, participants believed in the value of giving back to their communities through philanthropy and providing guidance to others.

Implications:

Social workers involved in micro practice with African American women should look beyond limiting dominant narratives and consider client’s sources of strength such as personal values, and the influence of support networks when working with clients. This study also highlights significant findings for the mezzo and macro levels of practice where social workers could promote mentorship and empowerment programs within African American communities, incorporating these stories into the dominant narratives and challenging negative stereotypes. Also, the use of Podcasts and social media platforms can be used, not only as an innovative research tool where targeted communities can share their stories outside dominant narratives, but also as an alternative medium for advocating and promoting social justice.