Play, Narrative, and Belonging in STEM Media: Centering Black Boys’ Imaginations

• In Event: Unsilencing the Past, Regifting the Present, and Manifesting Unforgettable Futures: Multiliteracies, Entertainment, and Popular Culture

Abstract

Play in STEM spaces ignites Black boys’ sense of belonging, creativity, and curiosity in STEM media. At the Black Male Animation Lab within the ILLEST Lab (Informal Learning Linking Engineering, Science, and Technology), I developed liberatory co design to foreground their voices and imaginations, turning computational tools and visual storytelling into acts of empowerment (Author, XXXX).

In STEM media, I work at the intersection of storytelling, education, and emerging technology. As creative producer for PBS (Work It Out Wombats!) and executive producer of YouTube Kids’ MayNERD’s Wild World of Science, my work shows how play and the narrative spaces it creates power children’s engagement with computational tools, visual design, and scientific thinking. I’ve also observed real gaps that, when filled by creative play, empower Black men as designers and storytellers, not just consumers, by foregrounding their culture and joy (Author, XXXX; Brown et al., 2018).

Liberatory co-design weaves play and narrative into participatory design, centering the lived experiences, cultural knowledge, and creative agency of marginalized communities especially Black youth. By designing with students rather than for them, it turns playful storytelling spaces into co-created learning environments, tools, and narratives. Grounded in justice and belonging, this approach uses the mechanics of imaginative scenarios, character building, and story arcs—to shift power dynamics, ensuring youth not only envision but also construct their own futures (Author, XXXX; Author, XXXX).

The Black Male Animation Lab empowers Black boys and young men to become storytellers and animators by using computational tools and STEM competencies to express their unique visions of self. Over three years, we mentored high school, undergraduate, and graduate students who utilized stop-motion animation to craft creative STEM narratives, transforming each frame into a site of scientific discovery. Our research also delves into AI and game bias (Author, XXXX), exploring how animation and generative tools can both perpetuate stereotypes and serve as platforms for critique and reclamation. By prioritizing play, culture, and narrative design, the lab challenges narrow perceptions of who belongs in STEM and what STEM learning can encompass. In this session, I will share our models and insights to illustrate how media creation acts as a liberatory force, not only preparing youth for futures in STEM but also enabling them to actively shape the field.

Author

• Kareem Edouard, Drexel University