Creating Equitable and Affirming Environments for Black Individuals in Our Music Education Communities

• In Event: Forging New Harmonies: Lived Experience and Student-Centered Praxis in Music Education

Abstract

This panel critically examines the systemic manifestation of anti-Blackness within educational contexts and explores strategies for creating equitable and affirming environments for Black individuals across intersecting identities. Central to the panel’s discussion is the conceptualization of anti-Blackness as not merely an expression of racism, but a deeply entrenched, systemic ideology that positions Blackness as inherently deficient and unworthy of full humanity (Dumas, 2016; Dumas & ross, 2016). This framework highlights how anti-Blackness significantly shapes the experiences of Black students, educators, and staff, contributing to ongoing cycles of marginalization and disenfranchisement within educational institutions (Patton, 2016).
Intersectionality is foundational to understanding the complexities of anti-Blackness, particularly how it intersects with gender, sexuality, class, and other social identities, intensifying oppression and complicating experiences of marginalization (Collins & Bilge, 2016; Crenshaw, 1991). The panel will underscore the critical need to address intersectional dynamics explicitly, recognizing the unique and compounded ways in which Black individuals of all genders experience institutional oppression and violence (Combahee River Collective, 1977).
Educational reform efforts aimed at dismantling anti-Blackness must involve systemic transformations rather than superficial, performative actions. The panel will address the necessity for authentic representation within curricula and institutional policies, advocating for inclusive historical narratives and Afrocentric approaches to pedagogy (King & Swartz, 2014; Muhammad, 2020). Such educational frameworks cultivate spaces where Black students and educators can genuinely engage with their histories and identities, fostering environments conducive to critical thinking and academic excellence (Love, 2019).
Additionally, restorative justice frameworks represent a promising approach to confronting racial disparities in school discipline, offering mechanisms that center accountability, community healing, and equity (Payne & Welch, 2015). The panel will discuss practical strategies for implementing these restorative practices within educational institutions as part of broader commitments to racial justice and equity.
Critically, the role of educators and institutional leaders in perpetuating or challenging anti-Blackness cannot be overlooked. Educators' positionality, informed by their racial and cultural identities, significantly impacts their capacity to enact meaningful change within educational contexts (Milner, 2007). Engaging in reflective practices about one’s complicity within these systems is a critical first step toward fostering transformative educational spaces.
Drawing upon qualitative research methodologies, including narrative inquiry, the panel will highlight how personal narratives and lived experiences illuminate systemic inequities and inform meaningful strategies for change (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000; Mustaffa, 2017).
Ultimately, this panel seeks to foster critical dialogue, advocate for structural change, and explore intersectional, restorative, and culturally responsive practices as central to dismantling anti-Blackness and promoting educational equity.

Authors

• Drew Xavier Coles, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Marjoris V. Regus, Rutgers University

• Adrian Davis, University of Minnesota

• Colin Walters, University of Connecticut

• Darrin Thornton, Pennsylvania State University