Publicly housed Black mothers' experiences of structural racism in their everyday lives

Abstract

Objective: Drawing upon critical race and feminist theories, the objective of this qualitative study was to understand, through Black mothers' narratives, how structural racism operates within a public housing system located on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. Background: Structural racism has been identified as a root cause of racialized housing segregation, concentrated poverty, and health inequity—factors that disproportionately affect Black mother-headed families living in public housing. Yet, more research is needed to delineate the underlying mechanisms of structural racism at play in public housing systems. Method: Using a community-based participatory action research (CBPAR) approach, the research team partnered with public housing residents and staff of a non-profit organization to guide the study. From 2017 to 2019, community partners co-developed the research protocol, recruited participants for in-depth interviews (N = 15), and assisted with data analysis, interpretation, and local dissemination of findings. Results: Black mothers' narratives depicted in detail the structural manifestations of racism perpetuated in public housing systems, including: (a) systemic neglect; (b) economic oppression; (c) eviction threat; and (d) community surveillance. Findings suggest that structural racism is enacted and enforced by many dispersed agents of power, including street-level bureaucrats (e.g., caseworkers and maintenance workers) and White and wealthier neighbors. Conclusion: Critical perspectives and community-driven research approaches can deepen understanding of how structural racism and institutional power relations operate to reproduce Black family marginalization within complex social systems like public housing. Directions for future research are discussed.