Research Commitment

As a Black man working in education, I am drawn to exploring experiences of other Black and Brown folks in education. While I have had my share of negative and positive experiences as an educator, I am constantly aware of how my own background, location, and experiences could impact my research. While I justify why I study the topics I do, I cannot deny that what and where I study is very close to me, as I do believe this is my life’s mission and work. As Sultana (2007) notes, “it is critical to pay attention to positionality, reflexivity, the production of knowledge and the power relations that are inherent in research processes to undertake ethical research” (p. 380). Holmes (2014) noted “self-reflection and a reflexive approach is both a necessary prerequisite and an ongoing process for the researcher to be able to identify, construct, critique and articulate their positionality” (p. 3). Gemignani (2017) further states: “Often seen as a defining feature of qualitative research, reflexivity can be described as the process of exploring how researchers and their subjectivities affect what is and can be designed, gathered, interpreted, analyzed, and reported in an investigation. The concept of reflexivity, therefore, assumes that researchers are unavoidably present and influential in the inquiry” (p. 185).

Because I am passionate about seeing Black people succeed and seeing Black professionals advance in the field, my core values are present and influential in my research. However, faithful to my ethical obligations, I uphold trustworthy standards to carry out high quality research. I ensured that I am not overly involved or overstepping boundaries. Having read other researchers’ accounts of unethical research conduct, whether intentional or unintentional, I actively avoid such situations; at the same time, I know that if there is ever a question about how to proceed, my mentors are available to help me navigate any situations.

Milner (2007) provides further suggestions and guidance about researcher positionality as it relates to studying communities of color. Milner (2007) provides four considerations for all researchers studying communities of color: researching self, researching the self about others, engaged reflection and representation, and shifting from self to system. Milner (2007) suggests that matters of culture and race are essential considerations in the process of conducting research. In turn, these considerations are important for researchers, participants, and consumers of research. In my work, I always engage in self-reflection, especially around my own experiences of race and education, as I continuously pose racially and culturally grounded questions to myself (Milner, 2007).

When doing this work, I take my ethical obligations seriously, as it is important to listen and carefully hold the stories of Black individuals.