Marginalized Voices
Generations of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) students have been negatively impacted by de-culturalizing policies, epistemologies, pedagogies and assessments in the U.S. educational system. This de-culturalization has denied many BIPOC students access to their immense Community Cultural Wealth, which has led to lower engagement and fractured identities. By using an applied Cultural Storytelling Curriculum (CSTC) in the classroom, I explored the impact of a youth-centered effort designed specifically to address the lowered engagement and fractured identities. My research demonstrates a revolutionary way to engage BIPOC students. By exploring their personal counter-stories, students were able to 1) tap into their cultural wealth, 2) provide insight of their social context and, 3) repair some of the wounds caused by a racist and oppressive educational system. The artwork on display is a result of the implementation of the CSTC in Northern Arizona. Replication of this curriculum could create academic opportunities for BIPOC students that would counter the racist and oppressive educational system.
