Date of Award
Spring 5-19-2025
Document Type
Capstone
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Department/Program
Gender Studies
Language
English
First Advisor or Mentor
Mark McBeth
Abstract
“A Seat at the Schoolhouse Table: Reimagining Education Through Afrofuturist and Womanist Theory” critically examines how curriculum, even when well-intentioned, can perpetuate harm by excluding the lived experiences of marginalized communities—especially Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQIA+ students. Using a real middle school immigration assignment given to the author's son as a case study, this capstone deconstructs the structural biases embedded in curriculum design and proposes a radical reimagining through the liberatory lenses of Afrofuturism and Womanism. Blending scholarly inquiry, personal narrative, and community-based interviews, this project offers a restructured assignment that centers joy, identity, and speculative storytelling as tools for educational equity. By situating curriculum as a site of resistance and imagination, the author affirms that true education justice is achieved not by erasing difference, but by celebrating it. This work honors the brilliance of Black and Brown parents, students, and educators who have long been architects of liberatory learning spaces, and challenges educators to create classrooms where every student sees themselves reflected, respected, and empowered.
Recommended Citation
Capers, Natasha M., "A Seat at the Schoolhouse Table: Reimagining Education Through Afrofuturist and Womanist Theory" (2025). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/jj_etds/352
Included in
African American Studies Commons, Africana Studies Commons, Asian American Studies Commons, Chicana/o Studies Commons, Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Education Policy Commons, Elementary Education Commons, Elementary Education and Teaching Commons, Ethnic Studies Commons, Higher Education and Teaching Commons, Holistic Education Commons, Indigenous Education Commons, Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons, Latina/o Studies Commons, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies Commons, Other Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons, Other Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons, Queer Studies Commons, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons, Secondary Education and Teaching Commons, Social Justice Commons, Urban Education Commons, Women's Studies Commons
Comments
My capstone, A Seat at the Schoolhouse Table, was a deep labor of love. I’ve committed my professional and personal life to education justice and parent organizing in NYC, and this project is the culmination of my experiences and learnings, not just from my own life but from thousands of parents, students, and educators across the country.
I am extremely proud of this body of work and that I didn’t sanitize it. I didn’t polish it to make it palatable. I told the truth, with all its complexity, rage, joy, exhaustion, and hope. I think about how often Black women’s voices are marginalized or tokenized in academic spaces, and I refused to let this project fall into that trap. Instead, A Seat at the Schoolhouse Table uplifts those voices as the foundation of any conversation about real education justice.
My commitment to craft a project that fully reflected who I am is visible even down to the title, headings and subheadings, they were set in musical theory for two reasons. First, I love Beyonce and Solange. The title is a nod to Solange Knowles’ 2016 album, A Seat at the Table. A number of the heading and subheading are nods to Beyonce, whose dedication and work ethic I deeply admire. Second, they’re a tribute to myself. I was a music major when I first started college after high school. Life, motherhood, and movement redirected my path, and I didn’t return to finish my degree until enrolling at John Jay, twenty years later. By incorporating musical structure into this project, I’m honoring that earlier version of myself, affirming that knowledge gained never disappears. I earned my musical education, and it remains mine to use, reinterpret, and integrate into every aspect of my life including this moment. The headings are more than just section titles, they are markers of rhythm, legacy, and personal transformation. They remind me that learning itself is the prize, not just the degree.
Writing this capstone changed me. It affirmed what I’ve always known: that our stories, our strategies, our survival deserve to be studied, honored, and taught. It was fulfilling because it captured a piece of our collective brilliance. It was difficult because it demanded I dig deep, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually. And it was gratifying because I did it on my terms, with integrity and love.