For my entry, I would like to present my painting titled, 'Pintando con Rosas' ('Painting with Roses'). This painting is an artistic/creative artifact that symbolizes my Critical Creative Literacy. Critical Creative Literacy (CCL) is a theoretical concept and tool that I am currently pioneering. I define this concept as the conceptualization, development, and understanding, of ones' social and cultural identity(ies), their sense of self, and the socio-political world they live in through the process of artistic and creative practices. I employed this concept in my current research as a tool for conceptualizing and understanding the literature pertaining to the resilient support of art education in American predominantly Black and Latinx urban public schools. With the repeal of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in 1978, federal funding and support of art education shrunk exponentially. What was once a solid and stable block, was now a round and unstable ball. While art education experienced dwindling levels of federal support, this has prompted many art educators, art activists, and community leaders to step in and intervene. This symbolized by the yellow, pink, and violet crayons. Through community efforts, resilience, and advocacy, art education has received just enough support for it to flourish.
