Journal of Black Studies

This study delves into the body of work by Dominican-born Spanish rapper Arianna Puello, examining her distinctive perspective as a Black immigrant woman and her exploration of identity, racism, and gender discrimination. Through an analysis of some of Puello’s notable tracks, including “Así es la negra” (That’s how the Black woman is), “Juana Kalamidad” (Juana Calamity), and “No puedo parar” (I can’t stop), our research explores how Puello’s music functions as a cultural and social commentary, exposing the systemic challenges faced by immigrant women in Spain, especially regarding the criminal justice system. Positioned within the broader context of Dominican migration to Spain, the analysis contends that Puello’s hip hop contributions transcend mere musical expression, emerging as a powerful medium for advocacy and social change. In emphasizing the need for a more nuanced understanding of the multifaceted challenges confronted by immigrants, especially immigrant women, within Spanish society, Puello’s music stands as a testament to the transformative potential of art in fostering social awareness and change.

Arianna Puello: Using Hip-Hop to Speak Out About Race, Gender, and Immigration in Spain

This study looks at the work of Arianna Puello, a Dominican-born rapper living in Spain. It focuses on her unique perspective as a Black immigrant woman and how her music addresses issues of identity, racism, and sexism. By examining some of her key songs, like “Asi es la negra” (“That’s how the Black woman is”), “Juana Kalamidad” (“Juana Calamity”), and “No puedo parar” (“I can’t stop”), the study shows how Puello uses hip hop to comment on social problems, especially the challenges immigrant women face in Spain, including in the criminal justice system. Her music goes beyond entertainment, acting as a form of advocacy and a call for social change. Overall, Puello’s work highlights the experiences of immigrant women and demonstrates how art can raise awareness and inspire action.

This study examined the relationship between exposure to police brutality on social media and race-based stress among Black college freshmen, as well as the potential moderating effects of racial identity and racial socialization. A national sample of 292 first-year Black college students (151 females, 141 males) completed a Qualtrics survey measuring demographic characteristics, police brutality exposure, race-based stress, racial socialization, and racial identity. Guided by Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Social Identity Theory (SIT), this study situates Black college students’ responses to police brutality exposure within broader structural and identity-based processes that shape interpretations of racialized violence. Analyses showed that race-based stress was negatively correlated with both racial identity and racial socialization, suggesting their potential protective roles. An unexpected negative correlation also emerged between exposure to police brutality and race-based stress, although this association did not remain significant in multivariate regression models. Neither racial identity nor racial socialization significantly moderated the exposure–stress relationship. Findings highlight the complexity of social media as both a site of racial trauma and resilience. Counseling implications, measurement limitations, and directions for future research on vicarious racial trauma in digital contexts are discussed.

Social Media Exposure to Police Brutality and Stress Among Black College Students

Videos and posts about police violence against Black individuals are widely shared on social media. Many Black college students regularly encounter this content, which may affect their mental health. This study examined whether exposure to police brutality on social media is related to race-related stress among Black college freshmen. It also explored whether racial identity and racial socialization might help protect students from stress. A national sample of 292 Black college freshmen completed an online survey about their social media exposure to police brutality, race-based stress, racial identity, and racial socialization. Students reported frequent exposure to police brutality content online. Results showed that students with stronger racial identity and more racial socialization messages from parents tended to report lower levels of race-related stress. However, these factors did not significantly change the relationship between exposure to police brutality and stress when examined together in statistical models. Overall, the findings suggest that the relationship between social media exposure to police violence and mental health is complex. Social media may expose students to racial trauma, but it may also provide opportunities for awareness, connection, and community support. These findings highlight the importance of understanding how online exposure to racial violence affects the well-being of Black college students.

This study explores the benefits of African-based martial arts practice for at-risk youth of African descent. Conducted over 4 years, the findings show that these arts can address issues related to self-identity, self-perception, and youth violence, while also improving decision-making skills for young males and females. The results highlight the role of Os Malandros de Mestre Touro, a school of African-based martial arts located in San Diego, California, in this initiative. Its teaching approach and community engagement address the socio-psychological needs of Black youth by utilizing a culturally grounded worldview and African value system, adapting them to meet the community’s youth needs. Afrocentric methodology was employed to incorporate both theoretical and clinical work in Black psychology. Social identity theory was used to examine how racial self-perceptions influence student group processes and intergroup behavior.

Data regarding the involvement of trained African American women social workers in the political arena is typically found among those who occupy positions at the national level in the United States Congress. However, African American women have been engaged with their localities to effectuate change for decades, as Willie Jones Dell broke a barrier in the city of Richmond, Virginia in 1973, becoming the first African American woman on City Council. This historiography examines, the opportunity structure as a mechanism by which leaders create pathways to political leadership in sponsoring successors who demonstrates leadership on grassroots levels. This analysis provides a model for examining how Black women social workers may enter the opportunity structure to politically serve their communities, as in the case of social work pioneer Willie Jones Dell.

Examining the Political Opportunity Structure Through a Case Study of Willie Dell, African American City Councilwoman

Data regarding the involvement of trained African American women social workers in the political arena is typically found among those who occupy positions at the national level in the United States Congress. However, African American women have been engaged with their localities to effectuate change for decades, as Willie Jones Dell broke a barrier in the city of Richmond in 1973, becoming the first African American woman on City Council. There is an importance of local political strategy authentic for the wellbeing of Black communities. This historiography examines, the opportunity structure as a mechanism by which leaders create pathways to political leadership to sponsor successors who have demonstrated leadership on grassroots levels. This analysis provides a model for examining how Black women social workers may enter the opportunity structure to politically serve their communities, as in the case of social work pioneer Willie Jones Dell.

Quilombolas are those community members that have remained on the land of quilombos or the land in which maroon communities lived. Quilombolas constitute a Black ethnic-racial group historically linked to resistance against oppression since the period of enslavement. This resistance, especially as exercised by women remains in contemporary Brazilian society. Despite facing adverse socioeconomic conditions, racism, gender oppression, and class inequality, many quilombola women take on the challenge of community leadership. This article analyzes the role of women leaders in quilombola territories in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The research includes data collected from 41 leaders and 16 in-depth interviews conducted with them. We argue the importance of Black women’s leadership in popular mobilization and in everyday acts of resistance such as collective care. In the case of Quilombola women, the main finding reveals that ancestry is a central motivating factor for exercising leadership and that inspiration comes from mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and other women in the community. Leadership is hard work, but in this context is a response to injustice and is an act of collective care aimed at preserving community life.

Quilombolas are Black Brazilians tied to maroon lands and resistance. Despite racism, poverty, gender and class oppression, women lead communities in Minas Gerais. From 41 leaders and 16 interviews, the study shows leadership grows from ancestry—mothers, grandmothers, aunts—mobilizing people through collective care. Leadership is arduous, resisting injustice and sustaining community.

“I want to stop my leadership work, but I see so much injustice and so many deaths in the quilombos that I can’t stop.” This testimony by Maria Luiza Marcelino, 66, leader of the Namastê Quilombola Community, captures the resilience of quilombola women. Invoking ancestry, her voice joins a long tradition of collective resistance and underscores women’s central role in sustaining quilombola territories. Quilombola women preserve Afro-Brazilian culture, protect nature, defend their lands, and fight for public policies that advance racial and gender equity. Quilombolas—descendants who remained on quilombo lands formed against oppression—constitute a Black ethno-racial group historically linked to resistance. Their identity is rooted in territory and in the pursuit of physical, social, economic, and cultural well-being. These communities are diverse, rural and urban alike. Institutional recognition has grown: the 2022 Census began counting quilombola populations, ensuring statistical visibility. IBGE estimates about 1.3 million people (0.65% of Brazil), present in roughly a third of municipalities, with higher concentration in rural areas—yet inequalities in sanitation, electricity, and infrastructure persist. Amid these challenges, women lead in health, social assistance, and politics, confronting racism, gender inequality, and socioeconomic exclusion. This article focuses on Minas Gerais—Brazil’s third-largest quilombola population—drawing on 41 leaders and 16 interviews to examine motivations, obstacles, and practices of resistance such as collective care and mobilization. Guided by Black feminism and intersectionality, the analysis explores how ancestry inspires leadership, how intersectional identities expand mobilization, and how these women sustain community life. Leadership is arduous, but it remains a response to injustice and an act of collective care that preserves territory and dignity.