Fostering Inclusivity and Hope in the Classroom

• In Event: Lightning Talk: Advancing Critical Pedagogies: Trauma, Agency, Safety, and Inclusion in Criminology Classrooms

Abstract

In Spring 2025, I taught a gender violence course that incorporated praxis-based, community-engaged activist components, including education, outreach, and prevention efforts related to Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Denim Day. Three themes emerged over the semester. First, my first gen, BIPOC, and queer students expressed that they felt seen, heard, and included. Second, class activities and the items produced through the course (two denim quilts) acted as a conduit whereby other first gen, BIPOC, and queer students not enrolled in the course reported similar themes. Finally, the majority of students reported that engaging in supported social activism and engagement, along with the explicit focus of the course on the agency and resistance of multiply marginalized people, led to increased feelings of hope and agency. The lessons learned will be discussed in terms of what other instructors can do to cultivate inclusivity and hope in their classrooms.

Author

• Alesha Durfee, St. Louis University