Students on the Margins-Margins: A Critical Examination of Research on African American Foster Youth in Higher Education

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to convey the need for research that brings a human face to foster youth in higher education. It is important is to understand their low educational outcomes as a social justice issue. It is important to emphasize the research on Black foster youth needs to value experiential knowledge (Solorzano & Yasso, 2009). Experiential knowledge of people of color is legitimate, and critical to understanding and analyzing racial subordination (Solorzano & Yasso, 2009). In the traditional critical race theory methodology, I use poetry and narratives to make meaning of this pervasive issue. Lastly, this paper offers several recommendations for research to humanize and celebrate Black foster children in the educational setting.