Using African Diaspora Literacy to Heal Educational Trauma

• In Event: Valuing Blackmale-nificence: Black Male Educators on Equitable 21st Century Educational Systems

Abstract

In this autoethnographic inquiry, I pose the question, “how does/can African Diaspora Literacy impact the experience of teaching and learning?” African Diaspora Literacy (ADL) refers to becoming literate about African Diasporic peoples, histories, cultures, languages, epistemologies, cosmologies, and axiologies. This autoethnography shares my account of engaging with ADL and how it transformed me personally and as an educator to which I refer to as my ‘becoming’. This is the time that I became one with my Blackness and the strength, power, beauty, and brilliance that comes with it. Further, I explore what I do to ensure that future generations do not experience their ‘becoming’ as late in life as I did.

In this work, I draw on anti-Black frameworks (Dumas & Ross, 2016), pro-Black frameworks (Boutte et al., 2021), and Afrocentric Pedagogies (Asante, 1991).

Using an autoethnographic approach, I explore my experience as an educator and learner, mainly how ADL brought me to a place of ‘becoming’. Examining school curricula and policies, I note systemic anti-Black racism--the most dominant and virulent form of racism (Dumas & Ross, 2016). Thus,there is a need for instructional and curricular antidotes in K-12 schools and the academy (Boutte et. al., 2017).
This work is a reflection as a Black male of my time in the classroom as a K-8 teacher, teacher educator, and as a graduate student. This autoethnography explores how my teaching evolved, and learning and processing of information evolved as I ‘became’.

From this paper, I learned through reflection that engaging in ADL improved my teaching and learning. Aside from the academic benefits, I have also been able to engage better as a Black man in the world. From this work, I pose the question, is my experience an anomaly or are there similar stories to be told? This autoethnography not only informed myself of the benefits but encouraged other educators to engage on a similar journey.
I often sit back and wonder how much different life would have been for me growing up had I understood the power in being Black and the contributions that African and descendants of Africa have had on this world. Instead, I internalized ideas based on stereotypes established by racism in our world. While I cannot answer that question, I know I can make a difference in the lives of Black people especially children, exposing them to the power that is in our h(er)stories.

King (2005), commissioned by AERA, outlined a research agenda for transformative
research for Black education. Among the research noted missing is large and small scale research that “use culturally relevant schema to organize and enhance instruction in beneficial ways for students at all levels and for teacher and researcher learning and development” (p. 353), particularly identifying teachers who engage in culturally relevant instructional practices that benefit academic excellence for students. This autoethnography is a means of self examination of my practices, beliefs, and biases before engaging with others to identify practices that work to improve educational experiences for our students.

Author

• Jarvais Jackson, Georgia Southern University