In times of polarized political cultures and topics of race and gender flooding daily media, it is crucial that our students have working understandings of social justice. It is imperative that our classrooms are safe spaces for individuals with all identities, as well as open areas where students can discuss their questions, concerns, confusions, and seek clarification or connection in times of upheaval. However, in order to create spaces such as these, we need to have teachers who are well-versed in social justice and well-equipped to facilitate these discussions. Kraehe and Brown address the need for “preservice teachers”, or teachers who are in the process of obtaining their degree or credential, to connect with varieties of social justice topics in open and approachable ways in order to increase awareness while simultaneously decreasing the probability of surmounting deficit thinking or prompting stereotypes. Kraehe and Brown’s investigation also used a 1995 study by Stake that utilized undergraduates (mostly prospective teachers) at a large US university to investigate the effects of arts-based sociocultural education on the students’ overall understandings of the topics. The researchers found that having preservice teachers interact with different forms of artistic media surround race, gender, or class discrepancies greatly encouraged and improved their engagement, understanding, and connections to the different topics. These unconventional learning and assignment genres allowed the students to manipulate and process the information in a personal, collaborative, and hands-on setting, allowing them to build multiple layers of depth and connections. Though this style did not work for every student, it was, at the minimum, incredibly successful in challenging the students to be more aware of the challenges and implications they faced. In this way, teaching social lessons through art can make previously-inaccessible or complex issues more accessible to a wider variety of audiences.

This philosophy can be applied to Doctorow and Wang’s graphic novel In Real Life. Throughout the 175 pages of this book, topics like gender discrepancies in gaming, stereotypes surrounding non-English speakers, union worker strikes, wage inequities, and poor working conditions were explored, yet these normally-heavy topics are presented in an approachable and engaging manner. This is very similar to the structure investigated by Kraehe and Brown. In Real Life approaches these topics from a young girl’s perspective as an up-and-coming gamer as she navigates the intricacies and subcultures within online games. Not only that, but In Real Life also addresses the problems of “fitting in” and recurring social pressures felt by adolescents and teens as they navigate the world; this push-and-pull between fitting in and following what they are curious about or what they think is best is a struggle faced by many but discussed by few. In Real Life’s artistic approaches surrounding these subjects allows the reader to engage on a more personal level with the characters. This connection allows readers to learn the lessons that the characters learn to a deeper and more meaningful level than they may have reading a classically-structured, word-based novel.

The need for proper, accessible, and engaging sociocultural education is a field that I have intimate understanding and appreciation for. My hometown is primarily Chicanx and Latinx, but there is also a large Caucasian population. Interstate 805 transects my town into two halves; the original half is on the west side of the freeway, and the newer/growing half is on the east side of the freeway. The east side is much more expensive than the west side since it is newer, so this creates an inherent disparity between to two halves of the town. Consequently, the east side looks down on the west side as “poor”, “underperforming”, or in some way inadequate to the abilities or opportunities on the east side. Because of the population dynamics, this also perpetuates stereotypes surrounding the Chicanx and Latinx communities. Thankfully, my peers and I had the pleasure of teachers who were socially conscious and pioneers of social justice in our community; through them, we learned where to find or create voices for those who had not previously been heard. My peers and I had access to texts and projects that promoted the beauties of various languages, various cultures, and the strengths of various backgrounds. Through these activities, we no longer saw our part of the town as underprivileged or subpar, but instead underestimated; we were empowered to attend east-side dominated functions to demonstrate the excellence that is the west side. Through debate competitions, science expositions, and art galleries, we were able to communicate our abilities to those who did not understand. However, had we not had teachers who were socially aware and passionate about social justice, we would not have the access or confidence to show who we are; without conscious teachers, we would have been left in the shadows of stereotypes.

A question I would pose to my peers is the following: is there any age “limit” or “minimum”, per se, where students should be exposed to social justice? Is it important to start bringing these lessons, even in a very simple setting, into early grades, or is social justice something that should wait until the students are older and more mature? On another note, should social justice teacher training be mandatory in the credentialing process?