SPEAKING OURSELVES INTO BEING: CULTURAL IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

This dissertation presents a critical ethnographic study of four Afrocentric Artists/Educators on their journey toward cultural identity recovery. A problem many marginalized groups face is identity conflict related to discontinuity or misappropriation of their cultures. This study sought to understand the potential of culturally relevant arts-based educational experiences and relationships to facilitate Afrocentric identity development among African Americans and, presumably, also other people of color. Since African philosophical thought such as the concept of Ubuntu and tenants of critical race theory were central to the experiences of the participants, these constructs (among others) were utilized to interpret the data. Essentially, the study reveals, from a personal perspective, how these four artists/ educators benefitted from their arts and culturally responsive arts-based educational relationships with their own mentors to enhance their cultural growth. Their personal artistic abilities and interests afforded them opportunities to build positive relationships with their mentors, to develop critical consciousness, and to meet felt responsibilities to pass forward their cultural knowledge. Insights gained from this study may inform educational theory and practice regarding ways to promote positive cultural identity formation within and beyond formal preservice teacher education programs with the aim of building stronger, more critical, and more reflective teacher-student relationships. The educational goals of cultural identity recovery are to increase cultural competence and self-reflexivity not only among people of color but among educators in general. This study envisions the development of culturally aware and connected teachers and students who critique inequitable power relationships and continue the hard work of creating socially just schools and societies.