Critical Arts-Literacies in Classrooms

“Our Voice and Dreams Matter”: Supporting Youths’ Racial Literacy

“…Our examination of youths’ participation in TYVP is informed by theories of racial literacy and critical arts-based literacies. We present our thinking with and enacting of these theories and approaches with intentionality, as scholars have noted the varying definitions and dilution of these terms (Chisholm & Whitmore, 2021; Laughter et al, 2021; Oto et al, 2022; Pandya et al, 2021).…”

“…We draw from notions of critical arts-based inquiry (Finley, 2017) and critical arts literacies (Chisholm & Whitmore, 2021) to define what we assert as critical arts-based literacies where youths use “the arts in a project of social and political resistance to achieve social justice” (Finley, 2017, p. 561). Our examination of youths’ critical arts-based literacies in the context of TYVP generates new insights into how youths’ racial literacy may be furthered through art-making.…”

“…For example, the arts are often co-opted as an assignment add-on to reinforce previous lessons or discussions. As Chisholm and Whitmore (2021) argued, “arts-integration has been mischaracterized to ‘decorate’ traditional literacies learning or in service of more ‘rigorous’ literacies learning” rather than as “a mode of ‘thinking/being/becoming’” (p. 319). Across our inquiry, we consider youths’ artistic endeavors—different than merely demonstrating their previous learning in a new way (e.g., illustrating scenes from a book)—as possibilities for generating new forms of knowledge, connection, and communication of complex interpretations and realizations about ongoing issues of social justice, particularly in fostering nuanced understandings of racial literacies.…”

“…Across our inquiry, we consider youths’ artistic endeavors—different than merely demonstrating their previous learning in a new way (e.g., illustrating scenes from a book)—as possibilities for generating new forms of knowledge, connection, and communication of complex interpretations and realizations about ongoing issues of social justice, particularly in fostering nuanced understandings of racial literacies. We move with this forming of connection not only across people and ideas but also across recognitions of power and privilege in youths’ sense of “thinking/being/becoming” (Chisholm & Whitmore, 2021, p. 319) that are conjured and made apparent in the art-making and sharing process (Shields et al, 2016; Thomson & Davies, 2019). Importantly, youths in our inquiry centered their artistic interests and literacies, sharing art as knowledge-creation with their peers.…”

“…Importantly, youths in our inquiry centered their artistic interests and literacies, sharing art as knowledge-creation with their peers. Art-making holds possibilities for “transform[ing] perception and thought into images and teach[es] us how both to see and to think with our eyes” (Harste, 2014, p. 96, as cited in Chisholm & Whitmore, 2021, p. 319), shifting perspectives and ways of knowing, being, and perceiving.…”