Charles McMartin, Assistant Professor of English at Utah State University
Monday, November 18, 2024,
2:30pm – 3:30pm,
ASA Koffler Great Room and Zoom
In his presentation Dr. McMartin responds to the current demonization of Critical Race Theory (CRT) in public schools and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in higher education by highlighting the importance of cultivating students’ coalitional capacities. Drawing on the concept of coalitional moments, as articulated by Karma Chávez, this presentation examines historical instances when student activists in Arizona reimagined and reconstructed public conversations around race in education. It examines three critical junctures in Arizona’s educational history–the late nineteenth century during the onset of Americanization programs, the 1960s and 1970s during the civil rights movement, and the three-year battle to ban ethnic studies in Arizona schools between 2007-2010. Each of these moments demonstrates how teachers and students can make their voices heard in the public sphere and reshape educational narratives to reflect the lived experiences and histories of Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) communities.
Dr. Charles McMartin is an Assistant Professor of English at Utah State University Tooele, specializing in Composition with a focus on culturally sustaining pedagogies and community writing. He earned his PhD in Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of English from the University of Arizona in May 2024. His scholarly research engages with themes of student activism and the development of next-generation faculty and staff leaders, contributing to journals such as College English and Rhetoric Review. Dr. McMartin is also set to release a coedited collection, Next-Gen Perspectives: Stories, Lessons, and Critiques of Leadership in Higher Education, through Utah State University Press. Drawing on his experience as a former high school English teacher, he advocates for a stronger connection between universities and local schools, emphasizing the importance of empowering students as leaders within their communities.
Compiled and edited by Pamela Hennessy, Academy Village Volunteer
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