Award Date

5-15-2026

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Psychology, Leadership, and Higher Education

First Committee Member

Jacob Skousen

Second Committee Member

Miguel Gonzales

Third Committee Member

Megan Griffard

Fourth Committee Member

Benita Brooks

Number of Pages

172

Abstract

This qualitative dissertation investigates how engaging in racial autobiography writing influences pre-service educational leaders’ readiness to enact social justice leadership. Situated within the persistent racial mismatch between increasingly diverse student populations and predominantly White school leadership, the study responds to the educational debt owed to communities of color and the limitations of traditional leadership preparation. Grounded in critical race theory, social justice leadership frameworks, and concepts of critical consciousness, the research examines how structured racial autobiographical reflection can disrupt color-evasive narratives, surface formative racial experiences, and deepen candidates’ understanding of systemic inequities. Using an action-research design within a university-based leadership preparation program, the study engaged pre-service leaders in a series of guided racial autobiography prompts, class discussions, and reflections. Findings indicate that racial autobiographies function as a transformative pedagogical tool within leadership preparation, fostering greater critical self-awareness, empathy, and a sense of responsibility for equity focused action. Participants reported increased willingness to name racism, challenge deficit narratives, and prioritize inclusive, community-centered practices in their future leadership. The study concludes that embedding sustained racial autobiographical work into leadership curricula is essential for cultivating leaders who are prepared to address educational debt and lead for social justice. Implications are offered for program design, faculty practice, and future research on longitudinal impacts of racial autobiography on leadership enactment.

Keywords

racial autobiography; social justice

Disciplines

Arts and Humanities | Education | Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies

File Format

PDF

File Size

2300 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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