Thank you for your enthusiastic participation in the two initial Indigenous Knowledges / Decolonial Pedagogies workshops over the past month.
Nadia McLaren, Ilene Sova, and Geraldine Standup generously discussed the historical, social, and political contexts that have led to the marginalization of Indigenous peoples—with an emphasis of colonial pedagogical systems—and shared the practical steps they took towards decolonizing the curriculum, teaching practices, and institutional culture from the perspective of Indigenous knowledges at OCADU in Toronto. It was enlightening to hear about that specific experience and to ask subsequently: How can we approach a similar initiative and process at Pratt Institute, considering the specific cultural and institutional contexts that define us?
During the workshops we started to discuss the need to figure out the terms of our own “decolonizing” process and engagement with these issues from within Pratt and to self-identify as allies and leaders who can guide new forms of teaching and learning through acknowledging land and establishing wholitic relationships with each other.
In order to start this process we would like to call a monthly meeting—beginning in December and throughout the Spring semester—to collectively imagine the future of this process at Pratt. Our first session will depart from two of the questions asked by Ilena and Nadia: What brings you here today? And how do you envision a process of decolonization of your and the Institute’s pedagogical practices?
Topic: Monthly meeting # 1 (Indigenous Knowledges)
Time: Dec 11, 2020 11:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
https://pratt.zoom.us/j/93030758707
Meeting ID: 930 3075 8707
Anyone who is interested in thinking about alternative pedagogies is welcome! Please share this invitation with any colleague at Pratt who would enjoy being part of this working group.
All the best,
Heather Lewis, Professor, Art and Design Education
Carlos Motta, Associate Professor, Fine Arts
Jennifer Miller, Professor Humanities & Media Studies
Ann Messner, Professor, Fine Arts
Jane South, Chairperson of Fine Arts
Judit Torok, Center for Teaching and Learning
Martha Wilson, Franklin Furnace
For further resources, please see this list our colleagues from the Office of DEI put together.