Exploring individual experiences of classically marginalized college students through voice, vision, and image, and how their stories can influence social inclusion on campus

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Authors
Duquette, Kara
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Issue Date
2023-05
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Abstract

Now more than ever before in its history, higher education is serving a wider range of students. These students are diverse in cultural background, socioeconomics, gender identity, and age. To achieve the mission and vision of a more equal society, creating space for unity and understanding of all who make up the university community is critical. In 2023, much of the information we consume as a society is expressed through creative activities or applications such as social media and streaming entertainment, including news, movies, and television, and the arts, including music, poetry, dance, and photography. This study explores marginalized students' experiences through voice, vision, and image and how their stories can influence social inclusion on campus. Research participant’s data were collected, and the stories/counter-narratives they expressed are now available to lift as a part of the Predominantly White Midwestern University’s (PWMU) main narrative to contribute to the university's desire to transform from a historically and predominately White institution to one of robust inclusivity and predominant diversity. The conceptual frameworks I use to organize my ideas are structural racism and marginalization within the theoretical frameworks of critical race, feminism, and hope. This qualitative photovoice research study used elements of sight beyond my sight methodologies, adding a photographed artifact and/or creating artwork from any medium. The photovoice methodological elements were derived from gathering a group of students who self-identify as marginalized and engaged in photovoice as a participatory action research to explore their individual experiences at a PWMU through photography. Sight beyond my sight methodology involves delving into a culture photographically through its members, from within, making decisions about what they will share to convey their culture as self-identified marginalized students currently studying at a PWMU. The participants engaged in individual semi-structured interviews. Then individually spent a week reflecting on their interview and took at least 20 photographs that were most compelling and important to them in relation to themselves, their self-identified marginalization(s), and the ideas and stories that came up in their interview. Participants were also asked to photograph an artifact that was important to them and/or produce a work of art from any other medium. As an artist with a background in the visual arts and a degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and certification to teach art, I drew on the value and depth of expression that can be attained when asking students to utilize their creative imagination by making art and/or sharing something meaningful to them in some way. After interviews and photography, the participants met to sort, select, theme, title, and write a short narrative about their top three photographs, photographed artifacts, and/or artwork. They also engaged in a focus group in which they shared their stories and images about their experiences as classically marginalized students at the PWMU. The photovoice methodology can be used to spur social change. Hopefully, sharing the participant’ experiences, putting forth issues of concern, and raising awareness of these marginalized students, other marginalized students, and other campus community members’ understanding will increase. This research was a transformative experience for participants and, hopefully, will be those who will attend the public art exhibit. Ideally, this research will become a catalyst and part of a larger conversation that focuses on embracing and celebrating all campus community members.