Kamesha S Spates
Biographic Data
| ID | 1629250 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Kamesha S Spates |
| GIVEN NAMES | Kamesha S |
| FAMILY NAME | Spates |
| SIGNATURE | SPATES K S |
| AFFILIATIONS | Kent State University |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-4254-210X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 20 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 77 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 20 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2011 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Let the Doors of the Church Be Open
Coping Processes of Congolese Refugee Women Newly Resettled in the United States
The present study aimed to provide Congolese refugee women with an opportunity to narrate firsthand experiences coping with resettlement challenges in the United States. Translator-assisted, face-to-face semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with newly resettled Congolese refugee women (n = 20) aged 18 and older who arrived in the United States between 2011 and 2018. All participants were receiving assistance from a resettlement ag…
Recreating the circle
As attacks on Black people have become more visible, key Black organizations have been building a grassroots movement of culturally grounded healing circles. African-centered healing circles address historical and contemporary racial stress experienced by Black people. They privilege culture and function as community-driven medicine, promoting collective healing and protecting against the effects of ongoing racism. The growth of these circles sig…
Unseen scars
The term "dual pandemics" refers to the intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing systemic racism faced by Black Americans, highlighted by police killings during COVID-19. This study aimed to understand how these dual pandemics impacted Black college students' mental health. Data from 102 participants over 18 years of age was collected via an open-ended qualitative question on Qualtrics and analyzed using thematic analysis. Three themes e…
Black emergency department visits for schizophrenia/psychosis following the police killing of George Floyd
In the United States, there exists a large disparity in the diagnosis of schizophrenia between Black and White individuals. Some of the symptoms associated with schizophrenia, such as agitation, delusions, and non-compliance, were previously linked to a now-discontinued condition known as “Protest Psychosis.” This proposed subtype of schizophrenia diagnosis emerged during the 1950s and 1960s in response to racial tensions during the Civil Rights …
Picture books for young children of incarcerated parents
Research suggests that bibliotherapy can help children cope with life's challenges through age‐appropriate reading and storytelling. Bibliotherapy has been employed to assist children in dealing with grief, divorce, adoption and other stressors. However, limited studies have investigated how this approach can support young children with incarcerated parents. Utilizing bibliotherapy as a framework, this study conducts a thematic analysis of childr…
Readiness of a U.S. Black community to address suicide
Communities need to be ready to address increased suicide among Black Americans. The Community Readiness Model (CRM) provides an established assessment for marginalized communities facing suicide. CRM assessment of the Northeast Ohio Black community involved interviews with 25 representatives, analysis using rating scales, co-scoring, and calculation. Results include a marginal overall score and low to average scores for five dimensions: knowledg…
Repertoire of Resilience
African American women contend with multiple overlapping oppressions yet are less likely to commit suicide than other racial/gender groups. Most studies on Black women and suicide are quantitative and focus on the protective factors in their lives that act as buffers against suicide. While protective factors are a useful concept for understanding suicide protection, they address only moderators of risks for suicidal behavior instead of how people…
Is This Really Our Problem
Rates of suicide within the Black community are increasing. Rising rates, coupled with institutional racism, impacts how Black perceive suicide as a problem in their communities. This paper examines the misconceptions that Black Americans hold about the topic of suicide. The current project included data from 25 self-identifying Black adults living in Northeast Ohio. We used a thematic analysis approach to data analysis. Through in-depth intervie…
Perceptions of Resettled Refugee Congolese Women
Conflict-displaced refugees have increased significantly globally. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the leading country with refugees in the United States, where many resettle in Ohio. Women refugees are highly vulnerable, yet little literature has focused on them. Furthermore, maintaining cultural traditions can provide comfort during the tumultuous resettlement process. Therefore, this study used mixed methods to understand the perceptions o…
Voices of Resettled Refugee Congolese Women
Refugees, specifically women, experience challenges associated with being resettled in Ohio. Existing research gives little attention to challenges associated with resettling, specifically among Congolese refugee women. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to provide Congolese refugee women an opportunity to narrate the challenges that they face resettling in Ohio. Translator-assisted, face-to-face interviews were conducted among resettled Con…
Gendered Racism in the Lives of Black Women
Historically, Black women have experienced multiple adversities due to gendered racism. While research demonstrates that gendered racism is associated with negative physical and mental health implications, little attention has been given to how being Black and female shape Black women's experiences in multiple contexts. This study provided an opportunity for Black women to describe their lived experiences of gendered racism in the United States. …
Keeping Ourselves Sane
I just might kill myself”
In order to examine how Twitter can be a significant indicator of how suicidal thoughts occur and spread, we used content analysis to analyze 4524 Twitter messages. Although expressions of "wanting to die" occurred frequently, most of the tweets appeared to be non-threatening. In addition, discussions about suicide on Twitter mostly involved sharing suicide prevention resources with fellow users. This finding suggests that Twitter could offer an …
We Have Closed Our Eyes and Sealed Our Lips”
Conversing about suicide with an at-risk individual can be enough to save a life. Given the rise of suicidal behavior among African American subgroups (i.e., youth and male), advocates are urging blacks to have candid conversations about the issue. The current study highlights black women's experiences discussing suicide. Findings suggest that widespread beliefs that suicide is an insignificant issue among blacks make conversing about suicide esp…
I've Got My Family and My Faith
Although existing suicide literature proposes black women's strong religious ties and social networks protect them against suicide, few studies offer black women's perceptions. The present study examines the factors black women perceive of as protective against suicide by conducting in-depth semi-structured interviews with 33 U.S.-born black women. Results support current suicide literature on the role of social networks and religion in black wom…
The Ekwe Collective
While making clear that black femininity exists and is located in multiple spaces, this essay brings out the intellectual and cultural presence and voices of black women in both national and international feminist communities. We engage black feminist thought (BFT) by offering the example of our community—the Ekwe Collective—a sisterhood of six feminist scholar–activists and their daughters. This essay offers insights on how BFT translates to the…
Starting Where You Are
What challenges can race and gender present for researchers of color? As Black women, we draw on personal reflections to look back at our graduate training and its influence on how we conducted ourselves in the field as graduate students and now as researchers in the academy. We particularly consider how mainstream pedagogical approaches to teaching qualitative methods might work to marginalize researchers of color throughout the qualitative rese…
The Missing Link
Critical examinations of epistemology argue that White men have established the guidelines for scientific knowledge. Because other groups were never allotted the opportunity to contribute to the immense knowledge base, the Western scientific knowledge base remains deficient. The author calls for a more inclusive knowledge base that includes the voices of Black women in the field of psychology. This inclusion is critical to better equip mental hea…
African‐American Women and Suicide
This paper reviews the literature on African‐American women’s suicide rates. This topic is often neglected due to African‐American women’s low rates of suicide occurrence. This review seeks to answer the call for increased scientific inquiry on matters related to African‐American women and suicide. The author begins by identifying complex dynamics surrounding African‐American women’s unique social position in order to establish a better understan…
Keeping Ourselves Sane
Gendered Racism in the Lives of Black Women
Historically, Black women have experienced multiple adversities due to gendered racism. While research demonstrates that gendered racism is associated with negative physical and mental health implications, little attention has been given to how being Black and female shape Black women's experiences in multiple contexts. This study provided an opportunity for Black women to describe their lived experiences of gendered racism in the United States. …
I've Got My Family and My Faith
Although existing suicide literature proposes black women's strong religious ties and social networks protect them against suicide, few studies offer black women's perceptions. The present study examines the factors black women perceive of as protective against suicide by conducting in-depth semi-structured interviews with 33 U.S.-born black women. Results support current suicide literature on the role of social networks and religion in black wom…
The Missing Link
Critical examinations of epistemology argue that White men have established the guidelines for scientific knowledge. Because other groups were never allotted the opportunity to contribute to the immense knowledge base, the Western scientific knowledge base remains deficient. The author calls for a more inclusive knowledge base that includes the voices of Black women in the field of psychology. This inclusion is critical to better equip mental hea…
Voices of Resettled Refugee Congolese Women
Refugees, specifically women, experience challenges associated with being resettled in Ohio. Existing research gives little attention to challenges associated with resettling, specifically among Congolese refugee women. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to provide Congolese refugee women an opportunity to narrate the challenges that they face resettling in Ohio. Translator-assisted, face-to-face interviews were conducted among resettled Con…
Readiness of a U.S. Black community to address suicide
Communities need to be ready to address increased suicide among Black Americans. The Community Readiness Model (CRM) provides an established assessment for marginalized communities facing suicide. CRM assessment of the Northeast Ohio Black community involved interviews with 25 representatives, analysis using rating scales, co-scoring, and calculation. Results include a marginal overall score and low to average scores for five dimensions: knowledg…
I just might kill myself”
In order to examine how Twitter can be a significant indicator of how suicidal thoughts occur and spread, we used content analysis to analyze 4524 Twitter messages. Although expressions of "wanting to die" occurred frequently, most of the tweets appeared to be non-threatening. In addition, discussions about suicide on Twitter mostly involved sharing suicide prevention resources with fellow users. This finding suggests that Twitter could offer an …
Repertoire of Resilience
African American women contend with multiple overlapping oppressions yet are less likely to commit suicide than other racial/gender groups. Most studies on Black women and suicide are quantitative and focus on the protective factors in their lives that act as buffers against suicide. While protective factors are a useful concept for understanding suicide protection, they address only moderators of risks for suicidal behavior instead of how people…
Is This Really Our Problem
Rates of suicide within the Black community are increasing. Rising rates, coupled with institutional racism, impacts how Black perceive suicide as a problem in their communities. This paper examines the misconceptions that Black Americans hold about the topic of suicide. The current project included data from 25 self-identifying Black adults living in Northeast Ohio. We used a thematic analysis approach to data analysis. Through in-depth intervie…
We Have Closed Our Eyes and Sealed Our Lips”
Conversing about suicide with an at-risk individual can be enough to save a life. Given the rise of suicidal behavior among African American subgroups (i.e., youth and male), advocates are urging blacks to have candid conversations about the issue. The current study highlights black women's experiences discussing suicide. Findings suggest that widespread beliefs that suicide is an insignificant issue among blacks make conversing about suicide esp…
Recreating the circle
As attacks on Black people have become more visible, key Black organizations have been building a grassroots movement of culturally grounded healing circles. African-centered healing circles address historical and contemporary racial stress experienced by Black people. They privilege culture and function as community-driven medicine, promoting collective healing and protecting against the effects of ongoing racism. The growth of these circles sig…
African‐American Women and Suicide
This paper reviews the literature on African‐American women’s suicide rates. This topic is often neglected due to African‐American women’s low rates of suicide occurrence. This review seeks to answer the call for increased scientific inquiry on matters related to African‐American women and suicide. The author begins by identifying complex dynamics surrounding African‐American women’s unique social position in order to establish a better understan…
The Missing Link
Critical examinations of epistemology argue that White men have established the guidelines for scientific knowledge. Because other groups were never allotted the opportunity to contribute to the immense knowledge base, the Western scientific knowledge base remains deficient. The author calls for a more inclusive knowledge base that includes the voices of Black women in the field of psychology. This inclusion is critical to better equip mental hea…
Starting Where You Are
What challenges can race and gender present for researchers of color? As Black women, we draw on personal reflections to look back at our graduate training and its influence on how we conducted ourselves in the field as graduate students and now as researchers in the academy. We particularly consider how mainstream pedagogical approaches to teaching qualitative methods might work to marginalize researchers of color throughout the qualitative rese…
The Ekwe Collective
While making clear that black femininity exists and is located in multiple spaces, this essay brings out the intellectual and cultural presence and voices of black women in both national and international feminist communities. We engage black feminist thought (BFT) by offering the example of our community—the Ekwe Collective—a sisterhood of six feminist scholar–activists and their daughters. This essay offers insights on how BFT translates to the…
I've Got My Family and My Faith
Although existing suicide literature proposes black women's strong religious ties and social networks protect them against suicide, few studies offer black women's perceptions. The present study examines the factors black women perceive of as protective against suicide by conducting in-depth semi-structured interviews with 33 U.S.-born black women. Results support current suicide literature on the role of social networks and religion in black wom…
I just might kill myself”
In order to examine how Twitter can be a significant indicator of how suicidal thoughts occur and spread, we used content analysis to analyze 4524 Twitter messages. Although expressions of "wanting to die" occurred frequently, most of the tweets appeared to be non-threatening. In addition, discussions about suicide on Twitter mostly involved sharing suicide prevention resources with fellow users. This finding suggests that Twitter could offer an …
We Have Closed Our Eyes and Sealed Our Lips”
Conversing about suicide with an at-risk individual can be enough to save a life. Given the rise of suicidal behavior among African American subgroups (i.e., youth and male), advocates are urging blacks to have candid conversations about the issue. The current study highlights black women's experiences discussing suicide. Findings suggest that widespread beliefs that suicide is an insignificant issue among blacks make conversing about suicide esp…
Keeping Ourselves Sane
Gendered Racism in the Lives of Black Women
Historically, Black women have experienced multiple adversities due to gendered racism. While research demonstrates that gendered racism is associated with negative physical and mental health implications, little attention has been given to how being Black and female shape Black women's experiences in multiple contexts. This study provided an opportunity for Black women to describe their lived experiences of gendered racism in the United States. …
Voices of Resettled Refugee Congolese Women
Refugees, specifically women, experience challenges associated with being resettled in Ohio. Existing research gives little attention to challenges associated with resettling, specifically among Congolese refugee women. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to provide Congolese refugee women an opportunity to narrate the challenges that they face resettling in Ohio. Translator-assisted, face-to-face interviews were conducted among resettled Con…
Perceptions of Resettled Refugee Congolese Women
Conflict-displaced refugees have increased significantly globally. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the leading country with refugees in the United States, where many resettle in Ohio. Women refugees are highly vulnerable, yet little literature has focused on them. Furthermore, maintaining cultural traditions can provide comfort during the tumultuous resettlement process. Therefore, this study used mixed methods to understand the perceptions o…
Picture books for young children of incarcerated parents
Research suggests that bibliotherapy can help children cope with life's challenges through age‐appropriate reading and storytelling. Bibliotherapy has been employed to assist children in dealing with grief, divorce, adoption and other stressors. However, limited studies have investigated how this approach can support young children with incarcerated parents. Utilizing bibliotherapy as a framework, this study conducts a thematic analysis of childr…
Readiness of a U.S. Black community to address suicide
Communities need to be ready to address increased suicide among Black Americans. The Community Readiness Model (CRM) provides an established assessment for marginalized communities facing suicide. CRM assessment of the Northeast Ohio Black community involved interviews with 25 representatives, analysis using rating scales, co-scoring, and calculation. Results include a marginal overall score and low to average scores for five dimensions: knowledg…
Repertoire of Resilience
African American women contend with multiple overlapping oppressions yet are less likely to commit suicide than other racial/gender groups. Most studies on Black women and suicide are quantitative and focus on the protective factors in their lives that act as buffers against suicide. While protective factors are a useful concept for understanding suicide protection, they address only moderators of risks for suicidal behavior instead of how people…
Is This Really Our Problem
Rates of suicide within the Black community are increasing. Rising rates, coupled with institutional racism, impacts how Black perceive suicide as a problem in their communities. This paper examines the misconceptions that Black Americans hold about the topic of suicide. The current project included data from 25 self-identifying Black adults living in Northeast Ohio. We used a thematic analysis approach to data analysis. Through in-depth intervie…
Black emergency department visits for schizophrenia/psychosis following the police killing of George Floyd
In the United States, there exists a large disparity in the diagnosis of schizophrenia between Black and White individuals. Some of the symptoms associated with schizophrenia, such as agitation, delusions, and non-compliance, were previously linked to a now-discontinued condition known as “Protest Psychosis.” This proposed subtype of schizophrenia diagnosis emerged during the 1950s and 1960s in response to racial tensions during the Civil Rights …
Coping Processes of Congolese Refugee Women Newly Resettled in the United States
The present study aimed to provide Congolese refugee women with an opportunity to narrate firsthand experiences coping with resettlement challenges in the United States. Translator-assisted, face-to-face semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with newly resettled Congolese refugee women (n = 20) aged 18 and older who arrived in the United States between 2011 and 2018. All participants were receiving assistance from a resettlement ag…
Recreating the circle
As attacks on Black people have become more visible, key Black organizations have been building a grassroots movement of culturally grounded healing circles. African-centered healing circles address historical and contemporary racial stress experienced by Black people. They privilege culture and function as community-driven medicine, promoting collective healing and protecting against the effects of ongoing racism. The growth of these circles sig…
Unseen scars
The term "dual pandemics" refers to the intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing systemic racism faced by Black Americans, highlighted by police killings during COVID-19. This study aimed to understand how these dual pandemics impacted Black college students' mental health. Data from 102 participants over 18 years of age was collected via an open-ended qualitative question on Qualtrics and analyzed using thematic analysis. Three themes e…
Let the Doors of the Church Be Open
Psychology (16 works) · Sociology (15 works) · Gender Studies (10 works) · Migration, Health and Trauma (9 works) · Qualitative research (9 works) · Gender Studies (8 works) · Political science (8 works) · Racial and Ethnic Identity Research (8 works) · Suicide and Self-Harm Studies (8 works) · Thematic analysis (8 works)