Collective Achievement and Resistance: Understanding the Motivations of Doctoral Women of Color

This qualitative study examines the experiences and motivations of 11 doctoral women of color students through a multiracial feminist and critical race achievement ideology lens. Participants' accounts expand our understanding of the assets and strategies that doctoral women of color employ to maintain motivation to achieve. Specifically, this study focuses on the strategies and sources that these women utilize to maintain motivation and pursue their doctoral degrees despite experiences with racism and sexism. The findings resulted in two themes and five subthemes. First, participants engage in doctoral achievement as collective pursuit through (a) pursuing achievement for community gain, (b) deriving motivation from family, and (c) engaging in collective resistance via relationships and allyship. Second, participants engage in doctoral achievement as a collective purpose through (a) leveraging a seat at the table to pursue social justice and (b) developing strategic voice to navigate oppression in pursuit of transformation. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.