Inquiry Oasis Season 2: Renae Mayes

Join Dean Berry and Dr. Renae Mayes as they explore Dr. Mayes's work as a researcher and counselor. This episode of Inquiry Oasis explores themes of Black joy, community, and educational spaces through a compelling conversation between Dean Robert Berry and Dr. Renae Mayes, a professor and school counselor educator at the University of Arizona's College of Education. Dr. Mayes discusses her research focused on Black youth and families, emphasizing a strengths-based approach that celebrates the richness and resilience of Black identity.

Key topics include the concept of Black joy as a source of peace, community, and freedom to fully embrace one's humanity, as well as the notion of "home place," inspired by bell hooks, as a protected space where joy and resistance coexist. The discussion extends to how educators can create environments that foster these spaces, allowing students to feel safe, valued, and able to thrive.

This thought-provoking episode underscores the importance of intentionality in education, highlighting the transformative impact of embracing joy, diversity, and inclusivity in schools and communities.

For more information on Dr. Renae Mayes's research, click here. To read bell hooks's work Homeplace (A Site of Resistance), click here.