Vol. 01 · 2026

What It Means to Be a Woman of Color in the U.S.

Our first research report draws on a two-phase qualitative study exploring identity, gender, and social cohesion among women of color in the United States. 22 participants across three focus groups and individual interviews.

The report is written for the communities it came from, not just for academic audiences.

Identity

How women of color navigate identity as both personal and political — assigned from outside and claimed from within.

Belonging

The tension between belonging to multiple communities and feeling fully at home in none of them.

Solidarity

How women of color build community across difference — and where the fractures are.

Resistance

Everyday acts of resistance embedded in how women show up, speak, and take up space.

Read the Report (PDF)
Methodology

How we did the research.

The research followed a two-phase design grounded in qualitative and participatory methods. Facilitation was trauma-informed and designed to create genuine space for reflection. Findings were shared back with participants before broader publication.

Phase One

Thesis Research

Graduate-level qualitative research at NYU, focused on identity and social cohesion among women of color. Formed the foundation of the project and its core research questions.

Phase Two

Original Field Research

22 participants across 3 focus groups and individual interviews. Recruited through community networks. Conducted online to enable broader geographic participation.

Research Ethics

How we handle what you share.

Participation in BGP research is always voluntary and requires informed consent. Research is returned to the communities it studies — not just published for institutional audiences.

Participation is voluntary and can be withdrawn at any time
Identifying details are not made public without explicit permission
Notes and recordings are used solely for research and analysis
Findings are shared back with participants before broader publication
Research is written in accessible language for non-academic audiences