Brown & Black Girl Leadership through a Critical Race Feminist Lens (Poster 4)

• In Event: Supporting Youth Activism in Hostile Times: Case Studies in Deepening YPAR Practices

Abstract

Objective
The YPAR framework is significant in cultivating student activism and voice in high schools. Influenced by critical pedagogy and community organizing, YPAR emphasizes leadership development as students examine social inequities in their local schools, neighborhoods and cities. While more attention is given to student outcomes related to YPAR participation, less has been given to the role of student identity in YPAR teams. Even less attention is given to feminist leadership styles among girls of color in resistance to heteropatriarchal white leadership styles prevalent in mainstream discourse. This poster explores Black and Brown girl leadership and how teachers might foster their leadership development in YPAR groups.

Perspective/Methods
This poster tells the story of a year long YPAR group in a Denver high school. Four BIPOC young women who naturally fell into the role of leaders, were respected by their classmates and led with Critical Race Feminist (Delgado & Stefancic, 1995) attributes such as ‘cultural intuition (Delgado-Bernal, 1995),” community collaboration, and care. Acting as “othermothers (Beauboeuf-Lafontant, 2002),” these young women fostered a “homespace (hooks, 2015, p. 42)” centered in safety and trust. The classroom culture they developed stemmed directly from their identity journeys, the modeling of leadership by their BIPOC teacher, and unique dynamics allowed by a YPAR group. Using a critical race feminism lens, we will describe what BIPOC girl leadership looks like and how it can be fostered in YPAR groups.

Methods
We used autoethnographic and testimonio methods to analyze classroom interactions, students assignment, advocacy campaign products, and public presentations to understand how BIPOC girls lead in YPAR spaces. These methods allow for the voices of participants to be centered and give direct implications for how educators might avoid the traps of white male models of leadership and foster BIPOC girl leadership in YPAR spaces.
There were many classroom activities that demonstrate their unique sense of leadership such as testimonios, conocimiento, co-teaching, sound scapes, immigration marches, know your rights video, district student voice events, and podcasting.

Results
When given the opportunity to lead in a way that honors their culture and identity, BIPOC girls demonstrate Critical Race Feminist attributes like “cultural intuition,” community collaboration, and care. Further, the role of BIPOC women leaders and teachers is examined for how it can inspire girls to assume leadership roles in YPAR classrooms. We provide pedagogical suggestions and classroom assignments to help educators foster BIPOC girl leadership.

Significance
The impact young women of color can have on a classroom is transformative for curriculum such as YPAR. Alas, limited attention is given to Black and Brown girl leadership in YPAR spaces. This historically, has been an unfortunate consequence of hegemonic whiteness in our schools. Additionally, in our current political context when the rights of women in general and girls of color specifically are being stripped away, additional attention is needed to know how we foster the voice and leadership of girls of color.

Authors

• Carla Cariño, Denver Public Schools

• Nayeli Lopez, University of Colorado - Boulder