As an interdisciplinary collaborative, we are investigating new ways to tell the nuanced stories behind educational benchmark statistics about Twin Cities urban public school students. This praxis begins with an imperative need to understand the experiences of youth from their own perspectives. Since 2016, our inter-collegiate, community collaboration has integrated interdisciplinary digital humanities with community engagement as we harness the power of storytelling as a process and product to amplify youths’ voices. Firmly grounded in feminist, LGBTQ, and ethnic studies, our program creates opportunities for youth to express themselves through art, movement, and spoken word workshops to address questions of identity, inequality, and representation. Our collaborative is grounded in four unique factors: a critical race and feminist studies curriculum, the power of storytelling, enhancement of digital skills, and furthering college-positive culture through establishing relationships with underrepresented middle school and undergraduate mentors. As an initiative that grows and sustains relationships with entire schools, we have collaborated for three years with a St. Paul public school and one year with a Minneapolis public school. A core goal of our collaborative is to impact individual and institutional change through youth advocacy. Click here to visit their website, learn more about the project, and read stories!

CONVENERS:

Kari Smalkoski, Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies, CLA, TC
Jigna Desai, Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies, CLA, TC
Vernon Rowe, Northeast Middle School
Nicole Ramos, Parkway Montessori Middle School