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CULTURE AND SOCIETY+2
Educating African Immigrant Youth: Schooling and Civic Engagement in K–12 Schools (June, 2024)This book illuminates emerging perspectives and possibilities of the vibrant schooling and civic lives of Black African youth and communities in the United States, Canada, and globally. Chapters present key research on how to develop and enact teaching methodologies and research approaches that support Black African immigrant and refugee students. The contributors examine contours of the Framework for Educating African Immigrant Youth, which focuses on four complementary approaches for teaching and learning: emboldening tellings of diaspora narratives; navigating the complex past, present, and future of teaching and learning; enacting social civic literacies to extend complex identities; and affirming and extending cultural, heritage, and embodied knowledges, languages, and practices. The frameworks and practices will strengthen how educators address the interplay of identities presented by African and, by extension, Black immigrant populations. Disciplinary perspectives include literacy and language, social studies, civics, mathematics, and higher education; university and community partnerships; teacher education; global and comparative education; and after-school initiatives. Book Features: A focus on honoring and affirming the range of youth and community’s diverse, embodied, social-civic literacies and lived experiences as part of their educational journey, reframing harmful narratives of immigrant youth, families, and Africa. Chapter authors that include Black African scholars, early-career, and senior scholars from a range of institutions, including in the United States and Canada. Chapters that draw on and extend a range of theoretical lenses grounded in African epistemologies and ontologies, as well as postcolonial and/or decolonizing approaches, culturally relevant and sustaining frameworks, language and literacy as a social practice, transnationalism, theater as social action, transformative and asset-based processes and practices, migration, and emotional capital, and more. A cross-disciplinary approach that addresses the scope and heterogeneity of African immigrant youth racialized as Black and their schooling, education, and civic engagement experiences. Implications are considered for teachers, teacher educators, and community educators.By: Vaughn W. M. Watson
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CULTURE AND SOCIETY+2
Educating African Immigrant Youth: Schooling and Civic Engagement in K–12 Schools (June, 2024)This book illuminates emerging perspectives and possibilities of the vibrant schooling and civic lives of Black African youth and communities in the United States, Canada, and globally. Chapters present key research on how to develop and enact teaching methodologies and research approaches that support Black African immigrant and refugee students. The contributors examine contours of the Framework for Educating African Immigrant Youth, which focuses on four complementary approaches for teaching and learning: emboldening tellings of diaspora narratives; navigating the complex past, present, and future of teaching and learning; enacting social civic literacies to extend complex identities; and affirming and extending cultural, heritage, and embodied knowledges, languages, and practices. The frameworks and practices will strengthen how educators address the interplay of identities presented by African and, by extension, Black immigrant populations. Disciplinary perspectives include literacy and language, social studies, civics, mathematics, and higher education; university and community partnerships; teacher education; global and comparative education; and after-school initiatives. Book Features: A focus on honoring and affirming the range of youth and community’s diverse, embodied, social-civic literacies and lived experiences as part of their educational journey, reframing harmful narratives of immigrant youth, families, and Africa. Chapter authors that include Black African scholars, early-career, and senior scholars from a range of institutions, including in the United States and Canada. Chapters that draw on and extend a range of theoretical lenses grounded in African epistemologies and ontologies, as well as postcolonial and/or decolonizing approaches, culturally relevant and sustaining frameworks, language and literacy as a social practice, transnationalism, theater as social action, transformative and asset-based processes and practices, migration, and emotional capital, and more. A cross-disciplinary approach that addresses the scope and heterogeneity of African immigrant youth racialized as Black and their schooling, education, and civic engagement experiences. Implications are considered for teachers, teacher educators, and community educators. Read moreBy: Vaughn W. M. Watson
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YOUTH EMPOWERMENT+1
"I think we're all teachers even though we're students": Examining Youth Perspectives of Peer SupporYouth of color enrolled in urban public high schools, particularly those students who seek to be the first in their families to graduate from college, frequently encounter barriers to their college readiness and access. This study engaged an analytic approach built with culturally relevant and sustaining theories of education to examine how 10 youth of color enrolled in 12th grade at a Title 1 public high school in New York City provided and/or received support from peers as they navigated such barriers. The study utilized a youth co-researcher methodology to amplify student voices about an issue directly connected to their lives. Two findings emerged across data analysis: (1) students asserted collective notions of academic achievement and (2) challenged what they perceived as inequitable access to resources and opportunities as they supported their peers’ college readiness and access. Taken together these findings provide new insights into possibilities for building from students’ interactions with peers across contexts of curriculum, teaching, and research in urban schools.By: Joanne E. Marciano
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YOUTH EMPOWERMENT+1
"I think we're all teachers even though we're students": Examining Youth Perspectives of Peer SupporYouth of color enrolled in urban public high schools, particularly those students who seek to be the first in their families to graduate from college, frequently encounter barriers to their college readiness and access. This study engaged an analytic approach built with culturally relevant and sustaining theories of education to examine how 10 youth of color enrolled in 12th grade at a Title 1 public high school in New York City provided and/or received support from peers as they navigated such barriers. The study utilized a youth co-researcher methodology to amplify student voices about an issue directly connected to their lives. Two findings emerged across data analysis: (1) students asserted collective notions of academic achievement and (2) challenged what they perceived as inequitable access to resources and opportunities as they supported their peers’ college readiness and access. Taken together these findings provide new insights into possibilities for building from students’ interactions with peers across contexts of curriculum, teaching, and research in urban schools. Read moreBy: Joanne E. Marciano
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YOUTH EMPOWERMENT+1
Generating New Narratives: Examining Youths' Multiliteracies in Youth Participatory Action ResearchThis paper examines the multiliteracies practices (New London Group, 1996) of 20 high school students who participated in a weeklong summer research institute at the start of a 6-month long community-based youth participatory action research (YPAR) initiative. Data analyzed included 20 digital multimodal compositions produced by youths, individual interviews with youths, and observations of youths’ participation in the YPAR initiative. Data analysis utilized theories of multiliteracies practices (New London Group, 1996) and culturally sustaining pedagogies (Paris & Alim, 2014) enacted across contexts of YPAR (Fine & Torre, 2004). Findings contribute new insights about students’ multiliteracies practices in YPAR in two ways. First, we examine how learning about research methods shifted students’ understandings of research and the role their experiences could play in YPAR. Second, we examine how students’ digital literacies practices (Lankshear & Knobel, 2008) supported them in generating new narratives about their community in digital multimodal compositions. Finally, we consider how insights gained from our examination may support educators in developing and enacting culturally sustaining (Paris & Alim, 2014) learning contexts that build with students’ multiliteracies practices as strengths while challenging persistent educational inequities.By: Joanne E. Marciano
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YOUTH EMPOWERMENT+1
Generating New Narratives: Examining Youths' Multiliteracies in Youth Participatory Action ResearchThis paper examines the multiliteracies practices (New London Group, 1996) of 20 high school students who participated in a weeklong summer research institute at the start of a 6-month long community-based youth participatory action research (YPAR) initiative. Data analyzed included 20 digital multimodal compositions produced by youths, individual interviews with youths, and observations of youths’ participation in the YPAR initiative. Data analysis utilized theories of multiliteracies practices (New London Group, 1996) and culturally sustaining pedagogies (Paris & Alim, 2014) enacted across contexts of YPAR (Fine & Torre, 2004). Findings contribute new insights about students’ multiliteracies practices in YPAR in two ways. First, we examine how learning about research methods shifted students’ understandings of research and the role their experiences could play in YPAR. Second, we examine how students’ digital literacies practices (Lankshear & Knobel, 2008) supported them in generating new narratives about their community in digital multimodal compositions. Finally, we consider how insights gained from our examination may support educators in developing and enacting culturally sustaining (Paris & Alim, 2014) learning contexts that build with students’ multiliteracies practices as strengths while challenging persistent educational inequities. Read moreBy: Joanne E. Marciano
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YOUTH EMPOWERMENT+1
Centering Community: Enacting Culturally Responsive-Sustaining YPAR During COVID-19Abstract Purpose – This paper aims to provide insights for educators seeking to enact culturally responsive-sustaining education and research in the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The authors examine what happened when the community-based Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) initiative they engaged with traditionally marginalized high school students was interrupted as a result of physical distancing necessitated by COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach – Data for this inquiry were taken from a broader on-going ethnography of youth’s participation in the YPAR project and included audio and video recordings from meetings of the YPAR initiative and messages exchanged between and among authors and youth. Authors used components of culturally responsive-sustaining education and theories related to student voice as an analytic frame through which they considered how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced their work. Findings – Three findings are examined in this paper. They consider: how youth participants and the authors stayed connected after they were no longer able to meet in person; how youth chose to center the needs of the subsidized housing community where they lived while continuing their work; and how youth and authors navigated the uncertainties they encountered in looking ahead to future possibilities for their study as the pandemic continued. Originality/value – This study provides urgently needed insights for educators and researchers grappling with how they may enact culturally responsive-sustaining education and research during the COVID-19 global pandemic and beyond.By: Joanne E. Marciano
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YOUTH EMPOWERMENT+1
Centering Community: Enacting Culturally Responsive-Sustaining YPAR During COVID-19Abstract Purpose – This paper aims to provide insights for educators seeking to enact culturally responsive-sustaining education and research in the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The authors examine what happened when the community-based Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) initiative they engaged with traditionally marginalized high school students was interrupted as a result of physical distancing necessitated by COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach – Data for this inquiry were taken from a broader on-going ethnography of youth’s participation in the YPAR project and included audio and video recordings from meetings of the YPAR initiative and messages exchanged between and among authors and youth. Authors used components of culturally responsive-sustaining education and theories related to student voice as an analytic frame through which they considered how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced their work. Findings – Three findings are examined in this paper. They consider: how youth participants and the authors stayed connected after they were no longer able to meet in person; how youth chose to center the needs of the subsidized housing community where they lived while continuing their work; and how youth and authors navigated the uncertainties they encountered in looking ahead to future possibilities for their study as the pandemic continued. Originality/value – This study provides urgently needed insights for educators and researchers grappling with how they may enact culturally responsive-sustaining education and research during the COVID-19 global pandemic and beyond. Read moreBy: Joanne E. Marciano
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YOUTH EMPOWERMENT+1
"Our Voice and Dreams Matter": Supporting Youths' Racial LiteracyThis qualitative study examines how youth participants in an ongoing community-based literacy initiative sought to increase awareness of racial justice among residents of their subsidized housing community in support of the Black Lives Matter movement in summer 2020 and throughout the 2020–2021 academic year. We utilize theories of racial literacy and critical arts-based literacy to examine youths’ engagement in 44 weekly two-hour-long Zoom sessions of the literacy initiative held between June 2020 and June 2021. Specifically, we examine how youths designed, facilitated, and participated in critical arts-based literacy projects related to children’s and young adult literature they chose to read focused on racial justice. Findings contribute new insights into youths’ enactments of racial literacy, possibilities for art-making to support youths’ racial literacy, and the urgent need for literacy instruction responsive to youths’ voices and dreams, particularly during times of crisis.By: Joanne E. Marciano
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YOUTH EMPOWERMENT+1
"Our Voice and Dreams Matter": Supporting Youths' Racial LiteracyThis qualitative study examines how youth participants in an ongoing community-based literacy initiative sought to increase awareness of racial justice among residents of their subsidized housing community in support of the Black Lives Matter movement in summer 2020 and throughout the 2020–2021 academic year. We utilize theories of racial literacy and critical arts-based literacy to examine youths’ engagement in 44 weekly two-hour-long Zoom sessions of the literacy initiative held between June 2020 and June 2021. Specifically, we examine how youths designed, facilitated, and participated in critical arts-based literacy projects related to children’s and young adult literature they chose to read focused on racial justice. Findings contribute new insights into youths’ enactments of racial literacy, possibilities for art-making to support youths’ racial literacy, and the urgent need for literacy instruction responsive to youths’ voices and dreams, particularly during times of crisis. Read moreBy: Joanne E. Marciano
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CULTURE AND SOCIETY+1
Attached to the SoilAttached to the Soil was begun during my 7-month Fulbright Scholar service in South Africa in 2019, inspired by the aspirational metaphor that President Nelson Mandela shared in the first words of his 1994 Inaugural Address. Collaborating with youth who proposed their own soil-related metaphors regarding their perception of realities in South Africa's past, present, or future, the stories of their fellow South Africans were told through portraiture and stories drawn from oral history interviews. The 50 works have been exhibited in 6 university art galleries across South Africa, and hung for 8 months in the Nelson Mandela Foundation's Centre of Memory, Houghton, Johannesburg. It is a model that I would like to extend not only in South Africa but in service to youth across Africa.By: Peter Glendinning -
CULTURE AND SOCIETY+1
Attached to the SoilAttached to the Soil was begun during my 7-month Fulbright Scholar service in South Africa in 2019, inspired by the aspirational metaphor that President Nelson Mandela shared in the first words of his 1994 Inaugural Address. Collaborating with youth who proposed their own soil-related metaphors regarding their perception of realities in South Africa's past, present, or future, the stories of their fellow South Africans were told through portraiture and stories drawn from oral history interviews. The 50 works have been exhibited in 6 university art galleries across South Africa, and hung for 8 months in the Nelson Mandela Foundation's Centre of Memory, Houghton, Johannesburg. It is a model that I would like to extend not only in South Africa but in service to youth across Africa. Read moreBy: Peter Glendinning -
EDUCATION
Celebrating Women in Science: Dr. Tabitha Amollo's Journey Towards Solar InnovationAs the world celebrates the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, it's essential to shine a spotlight on the remarkable achievements of women scientists like Dr. Tabitha A. Amollo, whose dedication and passion for physics and materials science are driving transformative advancements in solar energy. Tabitha, with a Ph.D. in physics specializing in solid-state physics and materials sciences from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, stands at the forefront of research in materials and device engineering for solar energy conversion. Through the Alliance for African Partnership’s African Futures Mentorship Program, Tabitha has been selected to receive leadership mentorship program that is facilitated between Michigan State University (MSU) and her home institution, Egerton University. This program enables upcoming and very talented scientists to receive career guidance by two mentors from MSU and the home university. Her current research at Michigan State University focuses on developing high-efficiency monolithic silicon-perovskite solar cells, a crucial step towards harnessing solar energy more effectively. In an exclusive interview, Dr. Amollo shared insights into her groundbreaking research and her vision for the future of solar energy in Africa. "Solar energy is abundant in Africa," she remarked, expressing her dream of seeing every home on the continent electrified. Her work is not merely academic but holds the potential to revolutionize energy access for millions. Despite facing challenges such as limited resources and infrastructure, Dr. Amollo remains undeterred in her pursuit of innovation. She emphasized the importance of optimizing thin film growth for solar cells, using techniques like ion beam-enhanced magnetron sputtering to achieve high-quality results even at low substrate temperatures. Reflecting on her experiences, Dr. Amollo highlighted the contrasting environments for research and innovation between MSU and her native Kenya. "The business environment at MSU is very friendly," she noted, emphasizing the need for a supportive ecosystem to nurture scientific talent. Dr. Amollo's passion for advocacy extends beyond her research laboratory. She is committed to promoting hands-on learning experiences for students, advocating for increased access to research funding, and streamlining the innovation ecosystem in Africa. "In Africa, we do not lack innovative ideas; our main challenge is the fragmented or lack of a functioning ecosystem," she observed. Looking ahead, Dr. Amollo envisions a future where African universities are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, empowering the next generation of scientists to pursue their dreams fearlessly. "The opportunity is great; I can do so much," she remarked, acknowledging the constraints of time but remaining optimistic about the impact of her work. As we celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, let us honour trailblazers like Dr. Tabitha A. Amollo, whose dedication and ingenuity are driving progress towards a more sustainable and equitable future for all. Dr. Amollo's work serves as a beacon of inspiration, reminding us of the transformative power of women in science and the crucial role they play in shaping our world for the better.By: Jayden Hewitt
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EDUCATION
Celebrating Women in Science: Dr. Tabitha Amollo's Journey Towards Solar InnovationAs the world celebrates the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, it's essential to shine a spotlight on the remarkable achievements of women scientists like Dr. Tabitha A. Amollo, whose dedication and passion for physics and materials science are driving transformative advancements in solar energy. Tabitha, with a Ph.D. in physics specializing in solid-state physics and materials sciences from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, stands at the forefront of research in materials and device engineering for solar energy conversion. Through the Alliance for African Partnership’s African Futures Mentorship Program, Tabitha has been selected to receive leadership mentorship program that is facilitated between Michigan State University (MSU) and her home institution, Egerton University. This program enables upcoming and very talented scientists to receive career guidance by two mentors from MSU and the home university. Her current research at Michigan State University focuses on developing high-efficiency monolithic silicon-perovskite solar cells, a crucial step towards harnessing solar energy more effectively. In an exclusive interview, Dr. Amollo shared insights into her groundbreaking research and her vision for the future of solar energy in Africa. "Solar energy is abundant in Africa," she remarked, expressing her dream of seeing every home on the continent electrified. Her work is not merely academic but holds the potential to revolutionize energy access for millions. Despite facing challenges such as limited resources and infrastructure, Dr. Amollo remains undeterred in her pursuit of innovation. She emphasized the importance of optimizing thin film growth for solar cells, using techniques like ion beam-enhanced magnetron sputtering to achieve high-quality results even at low substrate temperatures. Reflecting on her experiences, Dr. Amollo highlighted the contrasting environments for research and innovation between MSU and her native Kenya. "The business environment at MSU is very friendly," she noted, emphasizing the need for a supportive ecosystem to nurture scientific talent. Dr. Amollo's passion for advocacy extends beyond her research laboratory. She is committed to promoting hands-on learning experiences for students, advocating for increased access to research funding, and streamlining the innovation ecosystem in Africa. "In Africa, we do not lack innovative ideas; our main challenge is the fragmented or lack of a functioning ecosystem," she observed. Looking ahead, Dr. Amollo envisions a future where African universities are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, empowering the next generation of scientists to pursue their dreams fearlessly. "The opportunity is great; I can do so much," she remarked, acknowledging the constraints of time but remaining optimistic about the impact of her work. As we celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, let us honour trailblazers like Dr. Tabitha A. Amollo, whose dedication and ingenuity are driving progress towards a more sustainable and equitable future for all. Dr. Amollo's work serves as a beacon of inspiration, reminding us of the transformative power of women in science and the crucial role they play in shaping our world for the better. Read moreBy: Jayden Hewitt
