"That's When It Hit Me": Origin Stories of Building Transformative Solidarity in Educational Organizing

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 9:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Contested Opportunities: Power, Place, and Educational Justice

Abstract

In a moment filled with oppression and repression, this paper examines how organizers for educational justice became committed to this work. Drawing on Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor's transformative solidarity framework, we analyze the "origin stories" of three educational justice organizers—a teacher, a school board member, and a parent—to understand how they became committed to sustained, collaborative action against structural oppression. Through qualitative narrative analysis of semi-structured interviews, we trace participants' journeys through rupture, recognition, alignment, and sustained commitment. Findings suggest organizers experienced multiple ruptures before taking action, undertook smaller actions before sustained commitments, and were supported by progressive organizations as counter-structures. This research illuminates potential pathways for individuals to become mobilized to organize for educational justice.

Authors

• Michiko Hikida, The Ohio State University

• Laura A Taylor, Rhodes College

• Kushya Sugarman, Mount Holyoke College

• Melissa Schieble, Hunter College - CUNY

• Amy Vetter, University of North Carolina - Greensboro

• Kristen L. Hodnett, Hunter College - CUNY

• Athriyana Pattiwael, The Ohio State University