Teaching Black Lives Matter and Social Justice
Kaya Hamer-Small, PhD
Assistant Professor of Sociology
Broward College – Central Campus
The current pandemic, political climate, and social justice upheavals reveal both the importance, and lack of information literacy. Our online spaces are over-saturated with information and invisible barriers that block access to reliable sources, voices, and literacy. As an increasing portion of community college students are from a marginalized backgrounds (racial/ethnic minorities, first-generation, lower SES, LGBTQ, etc.), institutions have a responsibility to be inclusive and incorporate social justice issues into the curriculum.
In 2016, Broward College published a Black Lives Matter library resource guide created by and for Broward College faculty. Since its publication it has seen more visitors in the last few months that in had in its entire existence prior. Over 2,000 visitors have used the guide between June and August 2020 alone! Visitors from countries all over the world have reached out to Broward College librarians for guidance in understanding what Black Lives Matter is, and what it means. This guide has been shared with and adopted by colleges across the country and in nationwide organizations to support student learning and success in higher education. With teaching resources, lesson plans, activities, articlesand other reading materials, this guide is the perfect tool for faculty to use in understanding conversations about race, equity, and diversity in and beyond their classrooms and campuses.
The content of the Black Lives Matter guide can be paired with the Broward Social Justice library guide allowing students and faculty to contribute resources and increase information literacy on topics relevant to their lived experience. The benefit to students contributing to and exploring resources in the guides is their accessibility, facilitating exposure to resources beyond peer-reviewed articles . Faculty, as well can use either resource to expand their knowledge on the topics or incorporate into lectures or assignments. Overall, Black Lives Matter and Social Justice library guides are are timely and relevant resources to students. These resources build student belonging and overall college success when incorporated inthe classroom. We hope the guides can spark discussion and bridge differences.
For more information contact Librarian Cristy Moran cmoran@broward.edu.