Hope as Praxis: A Process Model of Black Women's Radical Hope and Activism

Abstract

The United States has long been a site of systemic oppression and grassroots resistance, with Black women serving as pivotal architects of social and political change. Yet, little is known about the psychological processes that sustain Black women's activism, particularly in times of sociopolitical stress. This qualitative study addresses this gap by exploring radical hope as a psychological and collective process that sustains Black women activists. Using grounded theory methodology, life history interviews were conducted with 16 Black women activists aged 21-42, residing in the Southern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Participants described radical hope as enacted through three interrelated actions: dynamic relational action, liberatory resistant action, and trans-temporal action. These actions, rooted in ancestral memory, collective well-being, and future vision, informed an empirically derived grounded theory process model of Black women's activism and radical hope. Grounded in Black feminist thought and counseling and community psychology, this study contributes to the understanding of liberation psychology, gendered racial identity, and activism. Findings highlight the need for research, mental health practice, and policy that support the well-being and leadership of Black women change-makers.

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