"Defining" Community Using the Cybermural Art-Making Process

• In Event: Poster Session 11
  In Poster Session: The Intersections of Social Justice

Abstract

While the murals of Los Angeles record the history of inequity and resistance in the city, the civics curriculum focuses instead on government systems and disregards both this history and the daily lived experiences of Youth of Color. Such a disconnect results in a lack of access to an engaging and high quality civics curriculum for most Students of Color (J. E. Kahne & Sporte, 2008; J. Kahne & Middaugh, 2008). This study follows the creation of a “Defining Community” interactive digital mural and analyzes the ensuing conversations, writing and performances to explore the ways in which the Cybermural digital tool mediates civic engagement by incorporating art-making and the lived experiences of students.

Author

• Jamie Gravell, University of California - Los Angeles