Banned Books, Banned Bodies, and Displaced Experiences: Cultivating Protective and Equitable Learning Spaces for Black Women and Girls in STEM

• In Event: Sunday Roundtable Session 11:25 am
  In Roundtable Session: Co-Generative Dialogue for Transformative Change in Communities and Schools (Table 2)

Abstract

The perceptible omissions of Black contributions in curricular discourse span far beyond recent legislation in Florida. Nationally, the U.S. is grappling with systemic “undoings,” specifically in relation to racial, gender, and sexual accessibility (Costa, 2023). As such, this phenomenological study explores the ways in which Black girls’ narratives have been displaced from STEM discourse. Using critical race structuralism as a theoretical lens, this research investigates the ways in which race, gender, and age all serve within a tripartite relationship to represent Black girlhood. As such, this study investigates STEM equity to promote educational practices and policies that deconstruct stigmas about privilege, racism, and bias. The findings suggest that cultural representation is imperative for positive STEM discourse among Black girl students.

Authors

• Deneen S. Dixon-Payne, Towson University

• Marcia J. Watson-Vandiver, Towson University

• Tamera D. Moore, Charleston Southern University

• Annette Teasdell, Clark Atlanta University

• Greg Wiggan, University of North Carolina - Charlotte