Mode of Program Participation
Academic Scholarship
Participation Type
Roundtable
Session Title
Justice Narratives
Session Abstract or Summary
Within the realm of community food work and empowerment, there are burgeoning spaces of activity and dialogue for creating healthier and sustainable communities in the Appalachian region. The Appalachian Foodshed Project has been highlighting the struggles and successes of these experiences of food security through narrative inquiry. Through course work and summer research experiences, graduate students at Virginia Tech were given the opportunity to engage in this narrative-building initiative through the co-creating and sharing of stories of community food work authored by numerous practitioners from across the region. From this context, the objectives for this roundtable presentation are three fold. First, I briefly share collective insights for using narrative inquiry as a learning tool for student and community audiences in this context. Here I aim to illustrate how the students were able to personally and professionally explore the complexities of community food security as a critical and scholarly opportunity, and how the narrative inquiry approach engaged students in a way that helped to humanize the “wicked problem” of food insecurity in the region. Next, I pose questions to create dialogue and learning based on this story-telling research method. It is the expectation to convene these interests by adding value to this work with examples of the impact that this work may have on researchers and their goals in the region. As a graduate student, the opportunity to directly connect, interact and partner with individuals and groups can aid in the development of quality based researchers.
Presentation #1 Title
Introduction
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
I will discuss what narrative inquiry is and the experience I had as a graduate student doing this work with the Appalachian Foodshed Project. I will express the product of that experience while providing linkage to other narratives within the Appalachian food shed project. Next there will be an opportunity for participants to experience the storytelling piece of this work and discuss the impact of such an experience. on building stronger community ties.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
I am Robert Tyrone Bass, a 2nd year PhD Student in the Department of Agricultural, Leadership, & Community Education. My dissertation work is centered around "Increasing Community Sustainability through Increased Agricultural Practices among Underrepresented Populations with Specific Reference to African American Youth". I am also from Greensboro, North Carolina where I attended North Carolina A&T State University. I received my B.A. in Animal Science/Industry, and my M.A. in Animal Science along with my license to teach Ag. Ed.
Introduction
I will discuss what narrative inquiry is and the experience I had as a graduate student doing this work with the Appalachian Foodshed Project. I will express the product of that experience while providing linkage to other narratives within the Appalachian food shed project. Next there will be an opportunity for participants to experience the storytelling piece of this work and discuss the impact of such an experience. on building stronger community ties.
