(Re)Centering Our Blackness and Ourselves: Black Women's Research as Responsibility to Our Spirits

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

The act of being, knowing, teaching, and researching is deeply rooted in our identities, histories, and educational journeys as Black and African ascendant peoples (Dillard, 2012). Grounded in this concept, our symposium builds upon Endarkened Feminist Epistemologies (Dillard, 2000) to examine the ontoepistemological and methodological realities, challenges, and possibilities within our research, teaching, and leadership contexts. As Black women, our work answers the call to shift and think of “research as responsibility” (Dillard, 2000, p. 5), by centering our narratives, experiences, and freedom dreams. We present research that embodies a collective nkwa (life-affirming) ethnography and continues to “‘Theorize’ African American lived realities in ways that shape a more radical and transformative feminist politic in educational research” (Dillard, 2000, p. 28).

Sub Unit

• SIG-Leadership for Social Justice

Chair

• Kiese Vita, California State University - East Bay

Participants

• Monique Walton, California State University - East Bay

• Rachel Vatannia, San Leandro Unified School District

• Kiese Vita, California State University - East Bay

Papers

• Sister Circles as Radical, Engaging, Authentic, Loving, and Spirit-Centered Leadership - Monique Walton, California State University - East Bay

• Revisiting My Own Black Queen RYTES (Resilient Youth Transforming Educational Systems) of Passage to Name the Spirit of My Work - Rachel Vatannia, San Leandro Unified School District

• (Re)Membering Why I Am Here: (Re)Centering My Own Black-Brilliance as Spirit-Healing Praxis - Kiese Vita, California State University - East Bay

Discussant

• G.T. Reyes, California State University - East Bay