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“My storytelling really shows up in both my academic and creative work. My purpose through academia and digital storytelling is to make visible the stories of people whose identities have been denied a spotlight.
As a Southerner, as a Black woman, as a queer Black woman, a masc presenting queer Black woman, my experiences don’t always end up in the center of what we know about people and what our experiences are. That has always led me to want to make folks see me. And when I say me, those of us whose identities just don’t get a spotlight, whose identities don’t get centered, and if their identities don’t get centered, then their stories don’t.
The stories that are the experiences of our lives, they matter, they count for something. So that’s a thread through my personal journey, through my academic journey and my creative journey. This is about visibility, power and representation for me.”
–Monique Alicia Gamble
Dr. Monique Alicia Gamble, a Southerner, a Black queer woman, a digital storyteller, and an assistant professor of political science at a public HBCU in Washington, D.C., shares the significance of storytelling in her academic and creative work, focusing on elevating the stories of people who exist on the margins, particularly those of Black queer women.
Reflecting on pivotal moments in her development, such as the 2016 presidential election and the 2022 midterm election, she emphasizes the importance of visibility, representation, and cultural power. Her storytelling highlights her commitment to making marginalized stories visible, the impact of teaching her innovative Discovery Diversity course on LGBTQIA+ visibility in media, and her plans for future documentary projects, including a project that centers the experiences of Black queer women barbers.
In sharing her experiences, Dr. Gamble models the transformative power of storytelling in education and its ripple effects on social justice.
Meet Monique
I am a Black queer woman from the Deep South. I am a storyteller and it shows up in my academic and creative work. My purpose, through academia and digital storytelling is to make visible the stories of people whose identities have been denied a spotlight. I feel empowered to be different. My point of analysis as Black, queer, and masculine of center woman is often sidelined. I’m centering, instead of following that model.
I want people to actively seek to give folks grace for how they show up in the world to create space for disagreement and for unlearning. Maybe we’re not all on the same page about our idea about change and revolution and action and all of that. But where are we aligned? Do we both love our mama? Is there some little person that we care about leaving the world to and leaving the world in a better place than it was for us?
If that’s what we care about then let’s make that the center and figure out how we unlearn things that are harmful for our little ones. We don’t have to all fit into the same box. We don’t all have to say we’re the same thing. We could be different and still be fighting towards the same goals. We could have different approaches towards the same goals.
Creating the space to explore what that is, where we can work together, and where we can unlearn things and let go of things that are harmful to all of us.
Connect with Monique on Instagram @magcellent
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
00:00 Monique’s personal why with storytelling
00:59 Personal Journey and Marriage
01:46 Political Climate and Vulnerability
03:00 Commitment to Representation and Power
03:51 Social Justice Origin Stories Project
04:59 Introduction of Dr. Monique Gamble
06:48 Impact of Elections on Professional Approach
17:55 Teaching and LGBTQ Visibility
33:22 Future Projects and Filmmaking Aspirations
34:16 Exploring the Experience of Queer Femme Barbers
36:31 The Importance of Queer Representation in Documentaries
40:42 Black Feminist Theory and Its Impact
50:56 The Power of Storytelling and Ripple Effects in Education
01:03:49 Messages for Future Generations
01:05:41 Closing Remarks and Call to Action
Name Drops, References, and Resources from Monique
Audre Lorde, bell hooks, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Ashley the Barber.
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Social Justice Origin Stories is produced, edited, and hosted by Relando Thompkins-Jones
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