Conducting Participatory and Collaborative Research
Since 2016, Reaja has transitioned from a campaign into a political organization that continues to provide direct service and action to community members, and this past August marks the two-year anniversary of the first Pan-African school in the country – The Winnie Mandela School of Political Consciousness and Community Action. Since its inauguration in 2016, the school has more than doubled in size, with 27 youth between the ages of 7 and 14 now attending the Winnie Mandela School, which is located in the working class, majority Black neighborhood of Engenho Velho de Brotas.
Over the past 13 years, Reaja has mobilized Black families and communities against state violence, which translates to the genocide of Black people across Brazil. This includes police that invade and occupy poor, Black homes and communities; killing Black people immediately and slowly on a daily basis; medical centers that are underfunded, understaffed, and located in substandard buildings; and a neglected public education system that erases Black resistance and minimizes Black history.
Alysia talking with students at the Winnie Mandela School about education and community organizing in Black communities in the United States
The pedagogical approach developed by teachers involves the everyday experiences of the youth: teachers speak the language of their students, meeting them where they are at because, at some point, these instructors have also been where their students are today. The teachers create open lines of communication between students and their families within the classroom setting that is accessible and relevant to the children’s daily struggles, and bringing these experiences in the street and at home into the classroom. The teachers (who are also organizers) emphasize collective methods and practices through this pedagogical approach. For example, during snack time, they eat in a circle on the floor, have the students take care of the space, help prepare the meals, wash their dishes, clean up at the end of the day. All these actions show them how they can love and care for each other, and the importance of solidarity and of unity.
Part of the work being done by React through the Winnie Mandela School is empowering members of the community as well as students to unlearn a number of harmful ideas, stereotypes, and practices that are deadly to Black communities, such as homophobia, transphobia, and misogyny. In an informal interview I had with one of the coordinators at the school and organizer with React, she mentioned how her identity as a poor Black trans-woman informs her organizing and approach to community and educational work at the school and in the organization.
Gathering and Analyzing Multimedia Fieldwork Archives with MAXQDA
Using MAXQDA’s “Document Browser”, I have been able to write and store my daily notes, write reflections, literature, and theoretical memos, and code some of the themes that have emerged. One of the ways this documenting feature has helped the organization beyond my research is by writing and translating documents to update the international community about the radical work being done by the organization and the school.
Writing and Coding Notes