Advocacy for Diversity Begins with the Self: Unleashing Silenced Stories: A Duoethnographic Account

Abstract

This paper introduces the research methodology duoethnography as a viable tool or strategy to get at the underlying biases and assumptions that both a Black and White teacher/researcher hold. How we teach for diversity was the central topic of our duoethnography, however, this evolved into a series of dialogues where we came to question our own practice. Through the mutual creation of a respectful space we were able to speak about race from a critical position. Through a poetic analysis of the data, the shared themes of unleashing our own silenced stories, wrestling through our different interpretations of empathy versus sympathy while continually moving toward a place of vulnerability where we both felt welcomed and validated, emerged. Our work came to a turning point at the White Privilege Symposium at Brock University where Hilary Brown came face to face with what it means to be a recovering racist, and where Dolana Mogadime found a home where she was unafraid to talk openly about race and racism. The duoethnographic dialogues created the foundation where both authors are ready to change.