Cultivating Voices of Black Girls in White Spaces

• In Event: The Language of Black Girls' Love Lessons: Black Girls’ Teachings on Love Through Literacy

Abstract

K-12 classrooms can be spaces that fail to extend love to Black girls impacting their ability to thrive emotionally, socially, and academically throughout and beyond schooling. In this paper, a Black woman who schooled in a predominantly White school district, and her mother, a Black woman who taught in the district, provide a unique window into the setting as we discuss Black girlhood experiences. Assuming a “mindful remembering” stance (hooks, 2001), we (re)examine our experiences in this context, exposing our wounds to discuss what it means to love Black girls and simultaneously, what it means to heal. Specifically, we explore: What does love look like and where is it found for Black girls in predominantly White, K-12 spaces? How do Black girls navigate these spaces in the absence of love? We apply a Black Gaze stance (Howell, Norris, & Williams, 2019) to make recommendations for educational approaches, teaching methods, and insights around ways to restore love for Black girls in White educational spaces by authentically recognizing them and cultivating their voices.

Author

• Sonja R. Cherry-Paul, Red Clay Educators