DEI Professional Development and Group Work Advisory Committee

• Diversity can be expressed in many different ways: race or ethnicity, gender, sexual identity, physical ability, socioeconomic status, religion, culture.

• Graphic novels and comics cover the full range of human experience and diversity of all peoples. Comics have often been aligned with cultural change and are an excellent medium for exploring issues that are often challenging or uncomfortable to discuss. They portray histories and identities that have historically been marginalized.

• Using comics in instruction affords the opportunity to challenge dominant perspectives and question how we think about diversity, equity, inclusion and authority in a safe and accessible way.

• Additionally, comics can transcend language barriers, knowledge, age and culture, making them an ideal format for reaching a diverse audience.

This 1 hour video gives you an excellent overview comics and graphic narratives: what they are, why they're important for teaching diversity, and how they can be used in the classroom. Examples included.

You will see the terms "comics," "graphic novels," and "graphic narratives" as you review these resources. The terms are often used interchangeably.