Abstract
I tell the story of how I came to be engaged in a cooperative study with Black farmers, the discoveries we made as we improvised our way through a relational approach to interviews, and the theoretical and practical contributions our discoveries make to literature about interview methods in qualitative research. This study is more than just conducting interviews for a dissertation. It’s a way of being in a community. This work will lend its voice to humanize social science research by way of telling the story and key discoveries from the often-unheard voices of Black farmers to offer recommendations to practitioners. How do we invite everyday voices from Black farmers to offer clues to enhance qualitative research? As we humanize research and decolonize scholarship, we can make space for overlooked voices to share their purpose for the benefit of community and the academy. Then, I explored the pursuit of purpose and the role of race in working with Black Farmers in New York State. The sense-making of the stories that emerge delineates a relationship between meaning and purpose. As a result, the lived experience can be integrated into professional domains. Finally, I applied the lessons we were gifted from the Black farmer’s reflections. I interviewed Black farmers from across New York State and was surprised to uncover insights on healing trauma and engaging youth. I also use my research with a set of research partners to propose changes to agriculture programs that center on healing trauma.
Presenters
Jamila Walida SimonAssociate Director for Innovation of Youth Programs, NYS 4-H, Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research, New York, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
BLACK FARMERS, RESEARCH RELATIONSHIPS, PRACTICE RESEARCH
