The Ford Female Achievement Model for Excellence (F2AME): Empowering Black Females for Success

Abstract

The educational realities for Black female students attending predominantly White institutions (PWIs) are experiences too often omitted or sub-grouped with Black male student experiences. The academic resiliency of this dual minority group who continue to outpace their racial counterparts in postsecondary degree completion has received increased attention. Black females are double ‘minorities’ who contend with racism and sexism by virtue of being Black and female.  Therefore, the psychological and emotional costs of navigating through such unfavorable environments warrant a deeper conversation. This article reviews the academic climate, and socioemotional and psychological factors faced by Black females enrolled in two PWI contexts – gifted and talented education (GATE) and in higher education – with strategies for support and success framed in Ford’s Female Achievement Model for Excellence (F2AME).