Centering Black Girls

Using Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and BlackCrit to Disrupt Bias in STEM Spaces

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32674/ve0sd821

Keywords:

Belonging, STEM education, Anti-Blackness, Culturally relevant pedagogy, Black critical theory

Abstract

This study explains how anti-Blackness operates in secondary STEM classrooms through teacher bias and instructional practices that impact Black girls’ access and belonging. Using vignettes, we draw on our lived experiences as Black women in STEM education and apply Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) and Black Critical Theory (BlackCrit) as guiding frameworks. Two semi-biographical vignettes illustrate how Black girls are routinely framed through deficit narratives that limit their participation in advanced STEM coursework. Even equity efforts reinforce exclusion if a corresponding ideological shift does not accompany them. Our analysis highlights missed opportunities to affirm the brilliance and STEM aspirations of Black girls. We argue that CRP must be enacted through relational practices and that BlackCrit offers a necessary lens to name and disrupt the structural nature of anti-Blackness in education.

Author Biographies

  • Raketa Ouedraogo-Thomas, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

    Dr. Raketa Ouedraogo-Thomas is a postdoctoral fellow at the Urban Education Collaborative at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a scholar-practitioner with over two decades of experience in K–12 education. Her research focuses on equity-centered systems change, examining how leadership, policy, and organizational learning drive justice-focused improvement. With a background in school, district, and state-level leadership—and fieldwork in West Africa—she employs mixed methods and narrative inquiry to study how communities engage with and transform educational systems. Her work bridges theory and practice to support culturally responsive leadership, inclusive instruction, and sustainable equity efforts.

  • Uchenna Emeneha Miles, University of Texas at San Antonio
    Dr. Uchenna Emenaha Miles is an assistant professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her research focuses on culturally responsive practices in STEM education, with an emphasis on equity, identity, and teacher preparation. 

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Published

2026-01-01

Issue

Vol. 17 (2026): American Journal of STEM Education-- Equity and Engagement in STEM Education

Section

Equity and Engagement in STEM Education

How to Cite

Ouedraogo-Thomas, R., & Miles, U. E. (2026). Centering Black Girls: Using Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and BlackCrit to Disrupt Bias in STEM Spaces. American Journal of STEM Education, 17, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.32674/ve0sd821