Celebrating the “Aha” moments of ethnic studies: Using Body-Soul Rooted Pedagogy to highlight practices of healing and wellness

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Notes

1 Body-Soul Rooted Pedagogy is purposedly italicized throughout the paper to emphasize the rootedness in body/mind/soul.

2 Pseudonyms are used throughout the paper to protect the identity of participants.

3 We purposely use they/their pronouns to protect the identity of students when teachers discuss or share stories about individual students.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute of Health (NIH)-National Institute of Minority Health & Health Disparities (NIMHD) (U54 MD004811-06), and The UNM Transdisciplinary Research, Equity and Engagement (TREE) Center for Advancing Behavioral Health.

Notes on contributors

Shiv R. Desai

Shiv R. Desai is working with scholars across diverse methodological, disciplinary, geographic, and social identities to examine whether high school ethnic studies can reduce educational inequities through the study of three districts. His previous research examined how Youth Participatory Action Research empowered system-involved youth to engage in justice reform and advocacy.

Andrea “Dre” Abeita

Andrea “Dre” Abeita, Coyote Walking, and real-life Isleta Pueblo Superhero is an Indigenous, two-spirited, bisexual, multiple-trauma survivor, PTSD-diagnosed, medical marijuana researcher/advocate and critical race theory, whiteness, and intersectional activist/scholar. Dre is currently a 9th year doctoral candidate at the University of New Mexico and the Chair of the AERA GSC.

Myrella R. Gonzalez

Myrella R. Gonzalez graduated from the University of New Mexico with a B.S. in Population Health in May 2020. Myrella is currently a dual degree student at UCLA pursuing a Masters in Public Health and a Masters of Social Welfare. Myrella’s areas of concentration include Community Health Education and Social Justice.