Aliveness, Abolition, and Affirmation: Actualizing Audre Lorde’s Commitment to a “Livable Future” in Early Education

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

Anchored by Audre Lorde’s commitment to a “livable future,” this symposium brings together interdisciplinary scholarship representing diverse perspectives, methodologies, and modalities to describe how early childhood education scholars, teachers, and teacher educators address their responsibilities and commitments to Black and intersectionally diverse children’s livable futures. A synthesis of critical perspectives, innovative theoretical approaches, and practice-relevant scholarship, this symposium includes four papers that demonstrate how Black aliveness, abolitionary early literacy practices, affirming picture books, and womanist anti-carceral praxis insist upon Black and intersectionally diverse children’s livable futures. The symposium will include a brief introduction by the Chair, presentations of each paper, remarks by the Discussant, and Q&A with the audience.

Sub Unit

• SIG-Critical Perspectives on Early Childhood Education

Chair

• Brita A. Bookser, Santa Clara University

Papers

• Expecting Encounters: Incorporating Black Aliveness into Early Childhood Research - Candice Love, University of Maryland

• Beyond Agents of Carcerality: Portraits of Black Male Teachers Enacting Prison Abolition Literacies - Nathaniel Bryan, University of Texas at Austin

• Centering Children of Incarcerated Caregivers: A Critical Content Analysis of Children’s Emotions in Picture Books - Emma Williams, Santa Clara University; Brita A. Bookser, Santa Clara University

• Teaching to Eradicate Carceral-Educational Entanglements: Introducing Dispositions of Womanist Anti-Carceral Praxis in Early Childhood Education - Brita A. Bookser, Santa Clara University

Session Organizer

• Brita A. Bookser, Santa Clara University

Discussant

• Rachel McMillian, Indiana University - Indianapolis