Research at the Intersections: An Autoethnography of Culture, Race, and Disability.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore my research skill development and career trajectory as an African American woman with a hearing disability who served as an Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) Post-Doctoral Fellow at a United States (U.S.) National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR)-sponsored Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) based at a historically Black college/university (HBCU). Method: Utilizing an autoethnography approach, I sought to discover and understand how my lived experiences as a person with multiple marginalized social identities (i.e., disability and race) through evocative narratives helped shape my research skills and career in the disability and rehabilitation field. Results: Emerging themes highlighted as contributors to my skill development and self-efficacy included familial and educational accommodations and supports, mentorship opportunities (i.e., race and disability fellow/mentee-mentor concordance context), and participation in professional networks and community activities. Additionally, the study identified various challenges that I faced while navigating my academic and career path. Conclusion: This inquiry might shed light on some of the unique challenges faced by individuals with hearing disabilities from marginalized backgrounds as well as opportunities that could help traverse these barriers in their journey to become a disability and rehabilitation researcher and/or faculty member in academia. Accordingly, the findings have broader implications for vocational rehabilitation research, emphasizing the need for culturally responsive, disability-inclusive mentorship and institutional supports that address intersecting barriers.