Browsing by Author "Murtadha, Khaula"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Adult Learning in the Urban Context: Community Engagement from the Voices of Four Adult Black Males
    (2020-09) Duff, Myron Carl, Jr.; Scheurich, James J.; Kazembe, Lasana; Merrill, Henry; Murtadha, Khaula
    The Loving Neighborhood was a very active ecosystem consisting of four communities (Capella, Carson, Midtown, and Summerville) that came together to form one larger community. Although the four neighborhoods’ ethnic makeup was about 30% Black, 30% Latino, and 30% White, the Carson community was predominantly Black. The Carson neighborhood had a very vibrant neighborhood association in which there were four adult Black males who actively participated in Carson’s economic and community development efforts. These men consistently attended neighborhood meetings, volunteered on community action committees, held community leadership positions, and participated regularly in local events. In order to understand the work of adult Black males who were seeking to improve the quality of life in a specific community context, this research sheds light on the “voices” of these four adult Black males as they attempted to foster neighborhood transformation by becoming more active in an Black urban community. It is imperative that the shared meanings of Black men be understood within the ecosystems in which they existed, emphasizing the importance of their conversations that addressed the needs of their communities. While previous research studies have explored adult learning and community engagement separately, these studies have failed to address how Black males could have helped Black communities in grassroots development efforts. Studies that have addressed these intersections could have provided valuable insight into why Black men became active in their communities, what they might have learned because of their community activism, how they remained motivated, and what skills they would have needed in order to effectively engage underserved neighborhoods. In response to this deficiency, this inquiry employed a critical approach to explore the importance of the unique voices of these four Black men as they participated in the transformation of their neighborhoods.
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    Black Grandmother Power: The Art and Wisdom of Caregiving and Leadership
    (2024-02) Rowley, Latosha Morvette; Jackson, Tambra; Santamaría Graff, Cristina; Murtadha, Khaula; Morton, Crystal
    Black grandmothers often take on the dual role of caregivers and leaders within their families. The caregiving and leadership practices demonstrated by grandmothers enables Black children to resist social inequities and oppression that they encounter in their lives. The narratives of Black grandmothers and their caregiving and leadership roles remain underexplored/absent from the existing research on the Black family. This research proposes to fill the gap in literature by analyzing multiple case studies in which Black grandmothers testify to their lived experiences with deploying caregiving love to ensure the social, emotional, physical, educational, and spiritual well-being of their grandchildren. These case studies have been analyzed through the theoretical lens of Africana Womanism and Black Womanist Leadership. By understanding the leadership experiences and efforts of Black grandmothers, as well as the barriers they have encountered because of their intersectional positionalities they occupy, there are applicable insights into culturally responsive school leadership, instruction, curriculum, policies, and practices. Uncovering these insights can improve academic growth and development for Black children.
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    Community Schools as a Vehicle for Social Justice and Equity
    (University of Tennessee-Knoxville, IGI Global, 2020) Medina, Monica; Murtadha, Khaula; Grim, Jim
    A deficit narrative of academic success in low-performing schools is articulated in cultural norms set by those who fail to understand how poverty and racial inequality manifests through daily interactions, beliefs, and biases. Work to address race and poverty are emotional, complicated, and challenging because the concepts are avoided, minimized, or disputed by a dominant narrative and privileged cultures that oppress students of color. This chapter is not about a study of race or poverty nor does it seek to forward understanding of how race and class intersect. Instead, it focuses on the ways a university has promoted social justice and equity in the development of community schools. This work encompasses: the influence of change through advocacy and policy, issues of school culture and climate, and shared leadership. It recognizes emerging perceptions impacting health, violence, and food security that cause socio/emotional issues not considered when critically addressing issues of race and poverty. Therefore, community schools are a vehicle for social justice and equity.
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    Critically Conscious White Teachers: A Case Study
    (2023-05) Priester-Hanks, Mary Louise; Scheurich, Jim; Thompson, Chalmer; Murphy, Hardy; Blackmon, Sha'Kema; Murtadha, Khaula
    Racism is a pervasive and destructive force in society and has no place in schools. White teachers, like all teachers, are responsible for creating a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students. This means being aware and actively working to combat their own biases and stereotypes, providing equal opportunities and support to all students. This instrumental, qualitative study captured the narratives of five White-identifying critically conscious teachers to understand how their critical consciousness is expressed and the opportunities and challenges they experience because of their anti-racism work. The central research question of this study was: How do critically conscious White teachers in a Southern Indiana school district experiencing demographic shifts engage in anti-racism work? Janet Helms’s White Racial Identity Development (WRID) theory was used to explain the teachers’ work towards anti-racism in schools. The findings from this study indicated that White identifying critically conscious teachers White teachers: a) leverage their privilege to promote anti-racism, b) use culturally relevant practices, c) engage in co-conspirator work, d) actively collaborate with BIPOC students and teachers, e) are instrumental in supporting anti-racism efforts, f) are content with making a positive impact on students and society, g) perceive and experience negative professional consequences as a result of their anti-racism work. This study has important implications for teachers, school administrators, and education system stakeholders.
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    An Examination of the Bachelor's Degree Attainment Experiences of African American Males Post-Incarceration
    (2021-08) Wallace, James W., Jr.; Murtadha, Khaula; Thompson, Chalmer; Scheurich, Jim; Applegate, Rachel
    The United States of America incarcerates more of its citizens than any other industrialized nation. Moreover, African American males are disproportionately targeted for incarceration in a system reminiscent of the system of slavery abolished after the civil war. As the cycle of recidivism plays itself out in this nation, this research examines the experiences of Black males who have broken the cycle to reestablish themselves within society through educating themselves in our nation's colleges and universities. This work is a phenomenological multiple case study that examines the experiences of five men who were incarcerated for a felony offense and successfully obtained bachelor's degree upon release. This research asks the questions: what motivated the pursuit of a degree, how did they pay for it, what resources were utilized, what challenges were overcome, and what impact this achievement had on their lives? Additionally, this research examines current correctional and educational policies and their impact on the Black community and concludes by making recommendations grounded in the research on how the nation can reduce recidivism rates and better serve African American communities.
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    Familial Influence: The Role of Black Families in College and Career Decisions
    (2024-12) Davis, Le'Joy Denise; Maxcy, Brendan; Murtadha, Khaula; Nguyen, Thu Suong Thi; Santamaria Graff, Cristina Corrine
    This dissertation explores the impact of familial influence on the college and career decisions of Black students that attended urban, low-income high schools. Through a comparative case study approach, the research examines how family dynamics, communication, values, socioeconomic, and social factors shape decisions. The study employs qualitative methods, including in-depth interviews, focus groups, and case analysis, to gather insights from students and their families. The findings reveal that familial support and expectations play a crucial role in shaping students' aspirations and choices, though the extent and nature of this influence varies significantly depending on family structure, resources, and lived experiences. This research highlights the complex interplay between familial and social factors, offering family engagement and policy recommendations aimed at enhancing support systems for students from similar backgrounds and suggesting areas for future research on familial impact in college and career spaces.
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    Grades K-12 Curriculum Guide for Attucks: The School That Opened A City
    (WFYI, 2016) Adams, Susan; Bangert, Sara; Bradbury, Kelly; Morton, Crystal; Kandel-Cisco, Brooke; Jackson, Tambra; Murtadha, Khaula; Payne, Patricia
    Many challenging social issues (e.g. stereotyping, democracy, racism, cultural difference, integration, segregation, to name only a few) emerge from “Attucks: The School That Opened A City.” Grappling with these issues is central to children’s understanding of society, therefore they are addressed in this elementary, middle, and high school curriculum guide developed in partnership with Butler University, IUPUI and Indianapolis Public Schools.