The PhotoVocal Family History Project builds upon the the feminist participatory action research method PhotoVoice developed by Burris and Wang (1997) that values students experience and knowledge and development of critical consciousness through the use of photography and dialogue.
Social injustice is often the result of intersecting inequalities that are rooted in historical stereotypes and misrepresentations in institutions and culture. Photography has the potential to disrupt existing stereotypes and misrepresentations. Photography can serve as a tool to record realities, raise awareness, to cross linguistic barriers, and serve as opportunities to have participants represent themselves and to tell their own stories.
The photos and interviews shared here are inspired by the work of people we learned about this semester, including Ida B, Wells, Zora Neale Hurston, and Nikole Hannah-Jones - who understood the importance of counter-narratives in achieving social justice goals.
This semester, students learned about interviewing from TCNJ WGSS senior Saray Ramos; about spoken word poetry as counter-narrative by Dr. Tony Keith Jr; about art, community and social justice from Trenton native and TCHS graduate Bentrice Jusu; about historical archaeology from TCNJ professor Dr. George Leader; about Trenton community history from TCHS and TSC graduate Algernon Ward; about photography and storytelling in community by TCNJ alum Aaron Watson Wilson; and about the PhotoVoice process, photo editing, and sound recording by Philadelphia based artist and photographer Prince Spells.
A special thanks to the course Teaching Assistant Kayla Johnson - a TCNJ senior psychology major!
