Abstract
Black students with disabilities are multiply marginalized; they experience both racism and ableism. Many students are further marginalized by poverty, age, and gender identity. The toll of their intersectional identities impacts their academic experience, and the evidence is that Black disabled students have the highest attrition rates and the lowest success rates. This phenomenological study, through the lens of DisCrit, examined how disability academic counselors/advisors can support disabled Black community college students’ success. DisCrit foregrounds the historical context for disparate outcomes. This dissertation describes how anti-Blackness and ableism are at the core of the disproportionate impact of Black disabled students’ academic outcomes. In the spirit of DisCrit, voices of disabled Black students in community college were elevated through interviews and focus groups. Disability academic counselors/advisors then listened to quotes from the student interviews and focus groups. From the stories of the students and the insights of the disability academic counselors/advisors, eight themes emerged that support disabled Black student success, they are as follows: (a) competency, (b) knowledge of applicable resources, (c) understanding of how to effectively identify and implement accommodations, (d) advocacy for the student, (e) developing rapport, (f) providing encouragement, (g) promoting student self-advocacy and (h) “let the student lead.” Disability academic counselors who are successful with Black students employ all eight strategies in their practice. All academic counselors/advisors can learn to develop strategies that employ all eight themes while working with students. Disability academic counselors play an important role in disabled Black student success. This type of research may help to build confidence for non-affinity group academic counselors/advisors so they can indeed be responsive to all students, including Black students.