Communication Strategies Across Cultural Borders: Dispelling Stereotypes, Performing Competence, and Redefining Black Womanhood

Abstract

For Black women born in the decades following the civil rights movement and second-wave women's movement, opportunities to move into educational and professional worlds have become reality. Such “opportunities,” however, often require that these young women live and move in environments where their racial and gendered identities remained marginalized. This study explores their communicative strategies as they cross cultural borders to predominantly White environments and furthers understanding of how and why they enact specific strategies in those environments. Focus group interviews are used to gather descriptions of communicative strategies in a phenomenological approach that encourages meaningful reflections on lived experiences. Analysis of responses reveals specific strategies are used to dispel historical stereotypes of Black women and perform competence in environments where they are the minority. Findings suggest future research with Black women across demographic groups and in additional communication contexts can further understanding of specific communicative strategies.