Chapter 1: Testimonios and Microaggressions: BIPOC Student Experiences in Academia Through a Creative Collaborative Series of Letters

Students decided to write collaboratively largely informed by testimonio work as self-identifying BIPOC individuals. Theorizing through the work of bell hooks (2000),¹ reading the creative book chapters of Clelia Rodriguez (2018),² and having reflected on testimonio work through Gloria Anzaldúa (2015)³ the students were able to tease out approaches which in turn were embodied through creative writing. Most of the discussions about the formatting and content for the chapter were done as a group where I mostly listened and offered resources to view or read. Students considered writing a more academic chapter that centered on theorizing about their experiences. However, after engaging Rodriguez’s book⁴ they felt inspired to use a letter format for their chapter. Students enacted a process of actively listening and went from shy observations and recounting experiences to deep-diving conversations with each other, me, and even branched out to share and discuss with family members about their lived experiences.