Introducing Extraordinary Literacies & Empyreal Logics: Regarding the Thriving Praxes of Black Girls and Women in Schools and Society

• In Event: Introducing Extraordinary Literacies and Empyreal Logics: Regarding the Thriving Praxes of Black Girls and Women in Schools and Society

Abstract

This demonstration presents sociocultural and sociospiritual frameworks and practices that show how Black girls and women decolonize their interior lives. By sharing the distinct and dynamic ways they generate praxes for wholeness, despite systemic oppressions that attempt to dismember them, it portraitures Black girls and women as leaders of third wave new literacies for the evolution of all people. My frameworks are based on findings from fifteen years of educational anthropological research. I draw from surveys, webinars, interviews, and focus groups with nearly 4000 girls and women of various backgrounds. For this project, I focus specifically on 800 stories from Black girls and women who are healing from various injuries produced by micro, macro, and systemic aggressions occurring within schools and society. Through my findings, I push forward a new literacies theory of personhood by examining the effects of (and (r)evolutions after) race and gender injury among these venerable members.

Objectives of the Session
The session aims to introduce and explore the concept of Extraordinary Literacies, a framework for understanding how Black girls and women decolonize their interior lives despite pervasive systemic oppressions. It examines how these individuals craft dynamic praxes for wholeness and resilience, positioning them as leaders in evolving new literacies that contribute to broader societal transformation. The session will specifically highlight the t/Terror and t/Triumph narratives—personal accounts of racial and gender-based trauma and triumph—as foundational elements in understanding how these literacies and logics emerge and impact both interior and exterior lives.
Overview of the Presentation
The presentation will delve into the fifteen years of educational anthropological research that underpin the concept of Extraordinary Literacies. This research includes data from surveys, webinars, interviews, and focus groups involving nearly 4000 girls and women of diverse backgrounds. The focus will be on 800 stories from Black girls and women navigating micro, macro, and systemic aggressions in educational and societal contexts. The session will trace how these individuals develop and use specific literacies and logics to heal, reassemble their selfhood, and advance personal and collective self-awareness.
Key topics include:
The development of praxes for wholeness by Black girls and women.
The impact of race and gender injuries on interior and exterior lives.
The role of t/Terror and t/Triumph narratives in shaping new literacies and logics.
Practical implications for advancing emotional and social justice through these insights.

Author

• Jeanine M. Staples-Dixon, Pennsylvania State University