Date of Award

2026

Degree Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

Comments

Presented to the Faculty of Sacred Heart University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education

Committee Chair

Dr. Deirdra Preis

2nd Reader

Dr. Tylon Crook

3rd Reader

Dr. Rydell Harrison

Abstract

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP) examined the benefits of a healing-centered affinity community for educators from racially and culturally underrepresented groups in Connecticut. A low rate of educators of color (EOC) impact student achievement and engagement outcomes. Higher attrition rates due to toxic working conditions, microaggressions, and invisible labor negatively impact EOC’s sense of belonging and professional growth. Using the Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP) and a qualitative case study methodology, the researcher implemented a six-week healing-centered professional learning affinity space with four educators who identified as Black or Latina to foster belonging, connections, and well-being while empowering them to navigate and influence their school environments against further racial and ethnic harm. Analysis of a pre-questionnaire, field notes, digital journals, and meeting and post-interview transcriptions using inductive and deductive coding resulted in themes aligned with previous research, including the importance of culturally caring leadership, belonging, empowerment, and the impact of invisible labor. The results indicated that healing-centered affinity spaces and the use of “testimonios” increased participants’ sense of belonging and empowerment. The limitations included a small sample size and inconsistent attendance. Implications highlight the importance of the districtand state-wide initiatives to provide affinity spaces for critical professional learning and to support the social-emotional well-being of educators from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

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