Exploring Stories of Political Activism and Ideological Perpetuation in Black Religious Institutions
Joshua Gray
Mentors: Ann Sofie Clemmensen, Dance; Liz Patton, Media and Communication Studies
The presence of political debate and activism at dining tables, conference rooms, and other traditionally apolitical spaces has burgeoned in recent history. The Black church has been one of these politically transformed spaces that have been impactful in promoting movements around political ideologies. The Black body is political, and so are all cultural and religious practices from that experience. This research uses ethnographic and choreographic practices to explore themes of embodied Blackness, relational power, and institutionally-bound socio-political obligations. This research considers the question: how do congregants within Black Religious Institutions identify with their role in the political landscape that has led to change in diplomacy, legislation, awareness and transparency, civic engagement, and rights expansion — even on a microscale. Through collecting and interpreting oral histories within Black Religious Institutions, these stories and interactions informed a new contemporary choreographic work and an inquiry into choreographic methodologies foregrounding Africanist movement expression and values.
This work was funded, in part, through an Undergraduate Research Award from the UMBC Division of Undergraduate Academic Affairs.
Bilingualism and Cultural Identity in the Latinx Community
Mentors: Tania Lizarazo, Modern Languages, Linguistics, and Intercultural Communication; Renee Lambert-Bretiere, Modern Language, Linguistics and Intercultural Communication, UMBC
Abstract:
Latinx cultural identity is constantly under pressure to be one feature at home and within the community, but to be something else outside. One difficulty faced by Latinx individuals when embracing bilingualism as their cultural identity is the stigmatization and stereotyping of being gangbangers, minimum wage workers, and hypersexualized femme fatale as part of their Latinx authenticity. Commonly, the Latinx cultural identity is generalized as only one culture. Many Latinxs have to constantly prove their English competency at school or at their workplace, living in fear and with anxiety to be replaced by their monolingual or bilingual peers that have no accent and sound more American. There is a misconception supporting the idea that learning more than one language affects developmental milestones in children. Therefore, some educators will suggest to Latinx families avoiding teaching their children their native language because this will affect their acquisition of standard English and ultimately affect their school performance. Translanguaging when speaking both languages is preferred by Latinxs because they identify their bilingualism as one repertory that uses either language depending on the need. This study may be relevant for the inclusion of bilingual individuals not only within UMBC but also in a globalized world.
This work was funded, in part, through an Undergraduate Research Award from the UMBC Division of Undergraduate Academic Affairs
Congratulations, Viridiana!
URA Faculty Recommendation Form
URAs provide up to $1,500 to undergraduate students to support their research, scholarship, or creative work with a UMBC faculty mentor. UMBC students of all years and disciplines are invited to apply, as long as they remain enrolled at UMBC long enough to complete the proposed work.
Applications require a research proposal and mentor statement of support.
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