Im Talkin’ Bout … Innit: Black Girls Creating and Building New World in the Third Space

• In Event: Building New Worlds: Constructing Supportive Spaces for Historically Marginalized Students and Faculty of Color

Abstract

This mosaic ethnography explores how The Liberation Lab, a Black girl space for middle schoolers, offers Black girls the opportunity for self-study, self-expression, and reimagining possibilities for belonging. Inspired by integrating Black Girls for Liberation Framework and the Dream Design Process, the Liberation Lab counters traditional educational spaces by tending to Black girls wholeness without constraining their identity (e.g., vernacular language and practices) and ingenuity. Preliminary findings suggest that Liberation Lab is a source of safety and freedom that is unparalleled to the rigidity of school environments. This multi-modal research highlights the transformative potential of Black girl spaces that center joy, creativity, and collective care, offering insights for reimagining spaces that nurture the belonging and world-building of Black girls.

Authors

• Briana Green, Michigan State University

• Joanna N. Ali, North Carolina State University

• Brittani Clark, North Carolina State University