Make the Song Cry: a Critical Exploration of "Best Interests" Decisions in Two U.S. Systems Through the Counterstorytelling Songs of Black Young Adult Women

Using an innovative culturally-grounded methodology informed by Critical Race Feminism, this dissertation is a critical examination of the historical foundations and current applications of "best interests" criteria used in the U.S. child welfare and juvenile justice systems to make determinations regarding placement decisions for children/youth. To inform interpretations of "best interests" practices, this dissertation utilized novel approaches to qualitative methods and counterstorytelling methodologies to engage Black young adult women study participants who reflected on their childhood/adolescent experiences in the child welfare and/or juvenile justice systems. Inspired by the reflections of these Black young adult women, this dissertation introduces songwriting as a form of counterstorytelling and demonstrates how this new methodological approach to counterstorytelling was used to grapple with the implications of "best interests" decisions on the experiences of Black girls navigating child welfare and/or juvenile justice environments. Together, the chapters challenge the "best interests" precedent and its meaning and impact on the lives of Black girls.