Recognizing and Sustaining #BlackGirlMagic: Reimagining Justice-Oriented Approaches in Teacher Education

Many educators and teacher educators have (re)committed to pursuing justice, sharing stories, and centering joy and self-care as our education, race, and global public health crises continue to converge. Losing in-person entertainment options (e.g., Broadway shows, concerts) inspired new ways to enjoy our favorite shows and books (e.g., Quarantine TV; Dr. Rabadi-Raol’s Tell-a-Tale) and dance the night away (e.g., DJ D-Nice’s Club Quarantine). Maintaining traditions of storytelling and healing through music, artists shared renditions of their favorite songs and gave free virtual performances (e.g., Deborah Cox and Tamia performed “Count on Me”, Lizzo’s live meditation).

Other stories highlighted the pervasiveness of White supremacy and injustice in schools. Many of these stories make clear how inequalities disproportionately affect Black, Indigenous, and Latinx children’s lives (Katayama et al, 2020). Yet, even during COVID-19, when most people significantly increased time spent online (Koeze & Popper, 2020) witnessing growing disparities in our society—Black girls’ and womxn’s lives and stories still remain largely invisible, devalued, or unbelievable (Cooper, 2020; Reid, 2020). Lorde (2017, p. VIII) reminds us that although our “silence will not protect” us, when “speaking as a Black [girl or] woman,” we are among the most vulnerable in our world.