Write Your Dissertation, Sis
Join the Next Cohort
Supporting Scholars Move From ABD to Legacy.
Welcome, Sis!
I’m Dr. Jamelia Harris—educator, researcher, advocate, and founder of Write Your Dissertation, Sis.
Five years ago, I defended my dissertation—a project rooted in love for the Black girls in my community facing some of the highest rates of school pushout in California.
I began my Ph.D. at 22 and finished at 26, becoming the youngest in my UCLA cohort and one of the first to defend.
Along the way, I earned the AAUW Dissertation Fellowship and was named a semifinalist for AERA's Dissertation of the Year.
But none of it came easy.
I navigated imposter syndrome, isolation, and gendered racism—all while advocating for Black women inside institutions that were never built for us.
That's why I created Write Your Dissertation, Sis: so we no longer have to fight to be seen. So we can build the spaces where we already belong.
This isn't just a coaching program. It's a movement—and I'm honored you're here.
Who Our Program Is For…
In a world that demands more while offering less, so many brilliant Black women scholars find themselves:
Writing in isolation—carrying the weight alone, without structure, accountability, or community.
Overextended and exhausted—balancing research, teaching, work, and caregiving with little left for themselves.
Silenced or second-guessed—in programs where their brilliance is overlooked, underfunded, or undermined.
Burned out by perfectionism—revising endlessly, with no clear path forward.
Sis, you were never the problem. The conditions are.
This space was built to hold you differently.
What Becomes Possible
Imagine a space where you can:
Build unstoppable momentum through weekly co-writing and real accountability.
Move with clarity and confidence, guided by expert coaching, proven templates, and feedback made for your work.
Feel affirmed and held in community with Black women scholars who simply get it.
This is where you move from survival to strategy—turning your dissertation into the foundation of your scholarly legacy.
What You’ll Get Inside
Structured Accountability
Bi-weekly coaching calls that keep you in motion. We set the milestones, name the obstacles, and return to them together — so your progress is steady, not sporadic.
Guided Coaching & Expertise
High-level, personalized guidance that meets you exactly where you are. Not generic advice — coaching shaped around your project, your committee, and your timeline.
Weekly Co-Writing Sessions
Sacred space to write in solidarity. Show up, put words on the page alongside other Black women scholars, and build the consistent rhythm that carries you through.
Actionable Tools & Strategies
The Chapter Clarity Series, templates, and frameworks that actually work. A step-by-step roadmap for Chapters 1–5, plus the strategy planners and research tools that keep you clear on what comes next.
The Inner Sister Circle
Supportive sisterhood who understand the journey. A private community where we celebrate the wins out loud and hold each other through the hard parts — because no one finishes this alone.
Monthly Office Hours + Private Messaging Access
Get unstuck in real time. Bring your blocks, your revisions, and your questions to live office hours, and reach us between sessions when you need a quick word to keep moving.
The Journey: From ABD to Legacy
This is more than a dissertation coaching program. It's an intentionally designed Black feminist curriculum that carries you, month by month, from ABD to defended—and into your scholarly legacy.
Month 1: Orientation & Roadmap to Legacy
We kick off in December with orientation. During this session, you’ll map your dissertation journey and set intentional goals that will guide every step ahead.
Month 2: Honoring Your Scholarly Voice
Our January session will focus on strengthening your voice and identity as a scholar as you revise with clarity and conviction.
Month 3: Power in Partnership
Reclaim your agency with your committee and navigate feedback with confidence.
Month 4 – Ready to Defend
Polish your dissertation and prepare to present your work with pride.
Month 5 – Thriving Beyond Burnout
Sustain your peace, protect your energy, and envision life beyond the dissertation.
Month 6 – Legacy in Bloom
Celebrate your defense and step boldly into your scholarly legacy.
From Dissertation to Legacy Series
Woven throughout the program, you'll also gain access to special guest masterclasses—intimate sessions with accomplished Black women scholars who illuminate the parts of academia no one prepares you for. These enrich your journey with expert perspectives beyond your core coaching.
Featured Coaching Packages
Foundation Scholar Experience
The Foundation Scholar Package offers a transformative experience designed exclusively for Black women scholars actively engaged in the dissertation process—whether you're developing your proposal, writing chapters, or preparing to defend.
This package is perfect if you're seeking the community, accountability, and expert guidance to navigate the critical writing, analysis, and defense phases of your dissertation.
What's Included:
Bi-weekly group coaching calls to work through dissertation challenges and strategy
Weekly co-writing sessions to keep you motivated and consistent
Exclusive templates and tools to streamline your writing process
Monthly office hours for personalized advice and real-time support
Complimentary membership in the Inner Sister Circle, including our private member community
Bonus workshops and events, including Storytelling in the Dissertation Defense and the Black Women's Job Market Retreat
This is your sisterhood and support system for reaching your defense with confidence and peace.
Investment: $2,500 general · $2,200 with early enrollment (save $300 before Sept 30)
Flexible payment plans available—early enrollment pricing starts at just $275/month (up to 8 installments).
Premium Scholar Experience
The Premium Coaching Package is for you if you're seeking personalized, high-touch guidance—including one-on-one coaching, developmental editing, and tailored accountability. You're a doctoral scholar in the final stages of your dissertation, ready to finish—but you want individualized support to stay on track, navigate committee feedback, and refine your work for submission. You value a trusted partner to help you manage the technical, emotional, and strategic demands of completing this journey.
This package provides wraparound support: actionable feedback, customized strategies, and compassionate coaching that empowers you to defend with confidence.
What's Included:
Everything in the Foundation Package
Private 1:1 coaching sessions — monthly 60-minute sessions dedicated to your work
Priority developmental editing — up to 10 pages per month with faster turnaround
Custom Dissertation Roadmap + Strategy Sessions — deep-dive planning to build your timeline, troubleshoot challenges, and align your goals
Mock Defense Session + committee navigation strategies to prepare you to defend with confidence
Extended access to exclusive resources and customized templates tailored to your needs
Unlimited email support and direct messaging access to Dr. Jamelia
This package is for scholars who want intensive, tailored support with expert guidance every step of the way.
Investment: $6,500 general · $6,000 with early enrollment (save $500 before Sept 30)
Flexible payment plans available, starting at $750/month (up to 8 installments).
Note: Because this is a high-touch experience, we have only one spot available for the January 2027 cohort.
Trusted by Scholars Nationwide
We’ve supported 500+ Black women scholars across 60+ universities—from HBCUs to R1s to the Ivy League.
Hear From Our Scholars
“Write Your Dissertation, Sis is an important protective factor for Black women’s persistence and resilience toward completing the dissertation.”
- Dr. Destiny Williams-Dobosz, WYDS Alum
In Her Words: Scholar Testimonials
FAQs
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This program is for Black women scholars in the final stages of their dissertation, including writing, analyzing, or preparing to defend.
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Absolutely! While the program is designed with the final stages in mind, it’s also beneficial for those working on their dissertation proposal. You’ll gain clarity, structure, and strategies to create a strong foundation and roadmap for your dissertation journey.
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Foundation coaching includes bi-weekly group sessions, co-writing spaces, and tools. Premium coaching gives you the best of both worlds: access to everything in group coaching, plus personalized 1:1 sessions, developmental editing, and custom dissertation planning for individualized support.
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Our live group coaching sessions and Sister Circles are held biweekly on Fridays from 4:00–5:30 PM ET. This time is intentionally chosen to work across time zones—coast to coast—so you can show up present and fully held. Sessions are live, because real-time coaching and community are at the heart of this experience.
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The program runs for 6 months, providing consistent support to help you meet your dissertation goals.
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Complete the application to be considered, You’ll receive an email with the next steps when enrollment opens.
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Clients in this program create clear roadmaps to finish their dissertations within 6 to 12 months, with tailored support to help them stay on track. While outcomes depend on your starting point and commitment, the program equips you with the tools, strategies, and confidence to make consistent progress.
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By enrolling early, you get:
Early-Bird Pricing — Save $300 on your enrollment (lock in the lowest rate we offer).
Extended Payment Plan — Access to our most flexible payment schedule, so you can spread your investment comfortably.
Complimentary Access to the Black Women's Job Market Retreat — A [$97] value, yours free when you enroll by Sept 4**.
First Dibs on Your Spot — Enrollment is intentionally limited to protect an intimate, high-touch experience. Early access means you secure your place before spots fill.
A 1:1 Dissertation Roadmapping Session — Begin with clarity through a personalized planning session to map your goals before the cohort even starts.
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Life happens, and this program holds you with both structure and grace. Coaching session replays are available in our Circle community, so you'll never fall behind on curriculum and coaching. You'll also have monthly office hours and messaging access to stay connected between sessions.
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Yes. I hold monthly office hours on the last Friday of each month, from 3:00–4:00 PM ET—open space to ask questions, get unstuck, and receive real-time guidance.
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Our Write with Sis co-writing sessions—sacred, standing time to write in solidarity and stay consistent—are held weekly, scheduled around the group's collective availability. A scheduling poll will be shared at the start of the program to determine the cadence that works best for our cohort.
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The Coaching Resource Hub — templates and resources including our signature Chapter Clarity Series
A Peer Accountability Pod — a small group of fellow scholars to keep you consistent and connected
Unlimited private messaging access to Dr. Jamelia — get your questions answered and stay unstuck between sessions
Monthly office hours — held the last Friday of each month, 3:00–4:00 PM ET, for open Q&A, troubleshooting, and real-time guidance
Every layer of support is designed to hold you—so you're never writing alone.
Ready to Move From ABD to Defended?
Your dissertation is more than a requirement—it’s the foundation of your scholarly legacy. Let’s build it together.