Bravery Against Silence: A Composite Counter-Story of Minoritized Students

Abstract

This study explores the ways in which racism within education influences the educational experience and prowess of minoritized students in Florida. The authors, who are also students and educators in academic institutions in the state of Florida, pose the following question: Who among us is brave enough to acknowledge, address, and overcome the silence about racism so that minoritized students are educationally unrestricted by racist ideologies? The authors analyze their experiences with racism embedded within educational institutions by constructing a composite counter-story, a tool used by critical race theory scholars to write-back as a form of resistance to majoritarian stories. The authors’ composite counter-story illustrates how minoritized students in Florida face racial discrimination and racial inequities at various levels of education that deplete their sense of accomplishment. Unifying and amplifying their voices unravels majoritarian narratives. This outcome has implications for collaborative storytelling that refuses silence about racism in education as it inhibits student growth and achievement.