Ep. 128 Dr. Dominiqua Griffin of Black Women PhDs on Fostering School, Family, and Community Partnerships in Research, Policy, and Practice
Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision, Penn State UniversityDr. Dominiqua Griffin
You may not have heard of today’s guest but, if you’re active on social media, you’re likely to encounter her work. Dr. Dominiqua Griffin is the Co-founder and CEO of Black Women PhDs, which bridges the formal and informal spaces for Black women along their doctoral journey. There’s plenty of focus on the challenges of pursuing doctoral and post-doctoral studies, but in today’s episode, we zoom in on how to maximize the joy of doing something you are passionate about. Dr. Griffin describes how her experience growing up in a dual culture household in the Bronx has shaped her identity and brought special insights that she brings to her research and work. Next, she tells us why she chose a doctoral program with both comparative and international education pieces, how she found support in an all-female cohort, and what she has come to define as a community: being around people who have your best interests at heart. Dr. Griffin touches on her work doing an ethnographic study in Barbados, how she completed her studies in five years and offers an imperative piece of advice to anyone approaching their studies: find joy! She reveals her biggest points of pride, from creating a powerful community at Black Women PhDs to practicing advocacy and connecting with others along the way. We talk about what motivated her to start her passion project and how she manages with a plate piled very high. In closing, Dr. Griffin tells us a bit about the Ambassadors Program and its international clusters, also offering some final words of wisdom: rely on your community, do what brings you joy, and just go for it! We hope you join us.
Connect with Dr. Dominiqua Griffin on LinkedIn, and at Black Women PhDs , Black Women PhDs on Facebook, Black Women PhDs on Twitter, and Black Women PhDs on Instagram.
Key Points From This Episode:
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How growing up in a dual-culture household has shaped who Dr. Griffin is.
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How Caribbean and Black American identities filter into her work with Black Women PhDs.
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The volunteer work Dr. Griffin did as an undergrad that helped her realize her mission.
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Why she chose a doctoral program that had comparative and international education pieces.
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How Dr. Griffin experienced the transition from an HBCU to a PWI.
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The all-female cohort where she found support.
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What she defines as community: being around people who have your best interests at heart.
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Her experience doing an ethnographic study, looking at the roles, practices, challenges, and demands of school counselors in Barbados.
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Informal networks as a resource in Barbados.
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How her experience growing up in the Bronx helped her to identify racism and colorism.
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How she completed her studies in five years.
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Advice for people approaching their studies: research funding sources and find joy.
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Biggest pride points for Dr. Griffin: creating Black Women PhDs, advocacy, and connection.
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What motivated her to start Black Women PhDs.
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How she is able to manage studies, work, and a passion project thanks to her community.
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The ten international clusters of the Ambassador’s Program.
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Closing thoughts: rely on community, do what brings you joy, and just go for it!
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The Cohort Sistas Podcast brings to life the stories, struggles, and successes of Black women with doctoral degrees and their lives beyond the degree. If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community, sign up to do so here, and if you are looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our partnerships page. Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don’t forget to follow The Cohort Sistas Podcast, rate the show, and leave us a quick review.
