“Aren't you here to help me?”: Examining the role of identity as Black women athletes navigate relationships and create community at predominantly White institutions

For Black women college athletes, the intersections of race and gender influence how they navigate predominantly white and male environments within intercollegiate athletics. Because college athletes spend a significant amount of time interacting and engaging with individuals in athletic settings, it stands to reason that their identities inform the different relationships they hold within athletic spaces. This article provides an in-depth exploration of Black women college athletes’ relationships within athletic environments and how they form community at predominantly white institutions. The findings reveal the role of race in Black women college athletes’ relationships with coaches, teammates, advisors, and each other. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications of the findings on cross-racial relationship development, inclusion and community building, and student–athlete development. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)