Abstract
Considering the legacies of exclusion, white supremacy, and genocide found within the walls of U.S. higher education, the public good construct is also embedded in exclusion, white supremacy, and genocide. The fact that existing notions of the public good remain intact and unquestioned of its origins means that the public good is not for all individuals of our society, particularly Black, Indigenous, Asian, Latinx, gender diverse, and ability diverse folks. Through a relational praxis, we engage in freewriting and Blackout poetry to share three solidarity narratives. This process and action detailed in this article come from a space that imagines the impossible – a decolonial desire for the public good.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1 For the purpose of this article, U.S. higher education is referencing the colonial foundations of higher education. We acknowledge complex systems of higher learning existed, and continue to exist, prior to colonial contact.
2 “New” is positioned as being new to us. We recognize that our growth and learning is often rooted in traditional knowledges that pre-date colonization and are still in existence among BIPOC communities.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Christine Nelson
Chris A. Nelson is from the K’awaika and Diné tribal communities. She is an assistant professor of higher education at the University of Denver. Her research utilizes a blending of critical theory and Indigenous relationality theory to explore the purpose and function of higher education.
Shaniquè Broom
Shaniquè Broom is a current Ph. D. candidate at the University of Denver. Her academic interest and expertise are focused on equity and institutional accessibility for Black women. She currently serves as a career and life coach for first-generation professionals within higher education with a specific focus on Black women.
Lesley Sisaket
Lesley N. Sisaket is a Laotian, PhD candidate in Higher Education at the University of Denver. Her research focuses on Southeast Asian educational experiences, and on Dreamers, as well. She currently serves as an Evaluator Assistant with Minnesota State's Office of Higher Education and is based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Cecilia Orphan
Cecilia M. Orphan, Ph.D., is an associate professor of higher education at the University of Denver and Co-Director of the Alliance for Research on Regional Colleges. She researches how regional public universities promote equity and community wellbeing, and how policy discourses shape higher education’s public purposes and equity pursuits.