Using Photovoice to Uncover Campus Issues and Advocate Change for Black Males

Abstract

The literature has primarily focused on discussing educational shortcomings of Black male students rather than exploring contributing factors, environmental supports, and systemic strategies that could improve achievement (Harper, 2009;Jackson & Moore, 2008;McGuire, 2005). Experts contend that an individually based perspective on the issue is too narrow and suggest structural factors within the broader campus environment should be identified and addressed (Douglas, 1998;Harper, 2009;Latz, 2012). Unfortunately, when college administrators attempt to develop programs to help Black male students, the students themselves are rarely fully engaged or consulted to help understand their unique environmental and cultural contexts (Harper & Kuykendall, 2012).

What makes us complete: Hybrid multicultural identity and its social contextual origins

“…1 We also asked the participants to produce photograph captions to encourage their awareness of what their photographs actually mean to them (cf. Strack et al, 2018;Valera et al, 2009). The participants co-created several ground rules to facilitate the respectful discussion of ideas and to create an environment where participants had the space and safety to self-define as multicultural as they saw the best.…”

“…The first session lasted approximately an hour and served to obtain informed consent, to introduce the participants to the basics of Photovoice methodology, and to explain their task to take photographs inspired by two questions: “How would you describe your multicultural identity?” and “How was your multicultural identity formed?” We also asked the participants to produce photograph captions to encourage their awareness of what their photographs actually mean to them (cf. Strack et al, 2018; Valera et al, 2009). The participants co‐created several ground rules to facilitate the respectful discussion of ideas and to create an environment where participants had the space and safety to self‐define as multicultural as they saw the best.…”

“…Given that most of the participants were full‐time students or workers, we designed this study to minimize the time required to participate. We conducted the study in two sessions over the course of two weeks (see Strack et al, 2018 for a similar design). The first session lasted approximately an hour and served to obtain informed consent, to introduce the participants to the basics of Photovoice methodology, and to explain their task to take photographs inspired by two questions: “How would you describe your multicultural identity?” and “How was your multicultural identity formed?” We also asked the participants to produce photograph captions to encourage their awareness of what their photographs actually mean to them (cf.…”

“…First, participants take photographs around a particular theme and, in some cases, they create captions for their photographs (cf. Strack et al, 2018). Second, participants bring their photographs to group sessions where they discuss the photographs.…”

Thirty Years of Implementing the Photovoice Method: Insights From a Review of Reviews

“…Photovoice projects have resulted in making real changes within communities. Highlights include the following: increased collaboration between people living with HIV/AIDS and public health departments (Rhodes et al, 2008), expanded options for healthy food in schools (Kramer et al, 2010), state-level funding for the continued work of replacing woodstoves (Evans-Agnew & Eberhardt, 2019), the creation of a college mentoring program for male students of underserved populations (Strack et al, 2018), improved parking for people experiencing disability (Newman, 2010), and tobacco policy change at the local level (Strack et al, 2004; Tanjasiri et al, 2011).…”