Changing the narrative: Approaches to engaging previously incarcerated students and hip-hop generation

Abstract

Two higher education institutions are supporting traditionally under represented college students to gain Information Literacy (IL) skills. In order to foster critical thinking and advance basic writing skills, the librarians developed curricula/instruction that enabled disenfranchised students to connect to relatable topics. Berkeley College has primarily students of color and new immigrants challenged by poverty, language barriers, and poor support systems. Panel discussions and writing assignments explore the relationship between hip-hop and politics, marketing, and racial stereotyping.

At Rutgers University, the librarian works with the New Jersey Scholarship and Transformative Education in Prisons Consortium (NJ-STEP) via the Mountainview Seminar. NJ-Step aims to “assist in the transition to college life upon their release into the community”. The previously incarcerated students in the Mountainview Seminar present a wide range of IL skillsets depending on their length of incarceration. Engagement strategies and active learning methods will be presented.

Through these approaches both institutions are aligned with the SDG, Reduced Inequalities as students are given IL skill building opportunities that address their educational needs and interests while taking into account their traditional barriers.