Black girl pedagogies: layered lessons on reliability

Abstract

This essay highlights and extends the distinct and critical work of Black Girlhood Studies. With a particular focus on how it differentially engages Black girls and Black girlhood, it takes readers on a journey of rumination through my exploration of coming to understand reliability as taught to me by Black girls and Black girl celebratory spaces. Utilizing poetics and reflexive writing, this essay names and elucidates three facets of reliability – tracing, collective grounding, and embracing paradox. Overall this essay describes reliability as an important Black girl pedagogy and articulates the cultural and educational importance of Black girlhood and Black girl celebratory spaces.