Fifth session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent

Event Title: The Virtual Village: Safeguarding the Psychosocial and Structural Experiences of Black Doctoral Scholars

Proposed Date: Tuesday, March 31st, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM EST

Format: Virtual Teach-In / Online SummitLead

Link to register: Registration: Virtual Teach-In – The Virtual Village

Organizing Entity: Black Doctorates Matter, led by Dr. Pamela Felder-Small

1. Background and Rationale
The right to education, free from systemic discrimination, is a fundamental human right recognized under international frameworks, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the mandate of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (PFPAD). However, for People of African Descent navigating the highest levels of academia, this right is frequently compromised by profound institutional isolation, structural barriers, and a lack of culturally responsive support.

At the intersection of education law, institutional policy, and human rights, the systemic neglect of the psychosocial experiences of Black doctoral students represents a critical barrier to global educational equity. In response to these institutional gaps, grassroots digital networks have emerged not merely as networking tools, but as vital, life-sustaining infrastructure. These virtual communities safeguard the intellectual capital and well-being of Black scholars, ensuring they can complete their degrees and contribute their essential research to the global discourse.

2. Event Objectives This virtual teach-in will convene premier initiatives dedicated to Black doctoral success to map the ecosystem of virtual support. The summit will highlight the specific, nuanced contributions of these organizations to the survival and success of Black scholars, utilizing a unified three-pillar framework:

● Intentionality: Defining the specific human rights purpose and focus of each digital initiative in combating academic isolation.
● Guiding Frameworks: Exploring the theoretical, legal, and practical frameworks that guide the development of culturally responsive digital practices.
● Community-Building Resources: Identifying the specific tools and resources utilized to build and sustain these protective virtual environments.

3. Alignment with the PFPAD Mandate By centering the lived experiences of Black doctoral students, this event aligns with the PFPAD’s commitment to dismantling systemic racism and promoting the full realization of human rights for People of African Descent. This summit asserts that equitable access to psychosocial validation and structural mentoring is a human rights imperative. It seeks to elevate the conversation surrounding academic socialization, urging international and institutional leaders to recognize, protect, and invest in virtual scholarly communities as essential conduits for educational justice.

4. Proposed Participating Organizations The teach-in will feature brief masterclasses and collaborative dialogue among the leaders of the following critical platforms:

● Black Doctorates Matter (Host)
● Dissertating While Black
● The Doctoral Student Writing Collective
● Write Your Dissertation Sis
● The Doc Chat

5. Expected Outcomes
● A comprehensive mapping of the digital ecosystems that support Black scholars globally.
● The articulation of best practices for safeguarding the psychosocial well-being of scholars of African descent.
● The foundational development of policy recommendations urging educational institutions to formally recognize and structurally support these virtual networks in alignment with international human rights standards.

Contact Information: Dr. Pamela Felder-Small, President and Founder, Black Doctorates Matter, [email protected]