2025 Theses Doctoral

Inked Narratives: Braiding the Testimonios of Tattooed Latina Educators in A Bronx Middle School

Feliciano-Barrett, Christine

"Inked Narratives: Braiding the Testimonios of Latina Educators in A Bronx Middle School" studies the identities of four Latina educators and the perceptions their students hold of them, particularly about the educators' tattoo art. Rooted in narrative inquiry and framed by Black and Latina feminisms as well as embodiment theory and pedagogy, this study emphasizes how tattoo art serves as a medium through which these educators express their identities and lived experiences.

By bringing to the surface the testimonios of three Latina educators alongside my narratives as a participant-researcher, this study reveals the connections between self-representation, student perceptions, and the broader cultural narratives surrounding body art within a Bronx middle school of nearly 100% Black and Brown children.

The braiding of our testimonios conveys the literacies of the body, sharing stories of self-love, acceptance, belonging, resistance, and healing while also highlighting the ways students interpret and respond to their teachers' body art and the stories behind the tattoos. This narrative approach highlights the significance of personal storying in fostering understanding and connection within the classroom, as tattoos reveal parts of our identities that are often concealed, transforming our lives into an open book for all to read.

Keywords: Latina educators, body art, tattoo art, testimonios, narrative inquiry, embodiment theory, Black and Latina Feminisms, identity, student perceptions, self-love, acceptance, belonging, resistance, literacy of the body art, braiding of stories.