Alternative Perspectives: Challenging the Eurocentric Narratives of Uncle Tom’s Cabin ~ with Kenya Nelson

Counter-storytelling is one of the principles of critical race theory (CRT). It is also a tool for minorities and members of marginalized groups to tell their stories without a Eurocentric or majoritarian lens. Stowe’s classic novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, was influential in impacting societal attitudes against slavery during its time. However, it also conceived negative African-American stereotypes that are still prevalent in media and literature today.In this workshop, expert Kenya Nelson will discuss why multi-ethnic narratives are more accepted through a Eurocentric perspective instead of the ethnic narrator’s perspective. This is a safe space for students to tell their counter-stories in response to some of the main scenes that will be highlighted from this novel along with the characters' experiences. This workshop aims not to antagonize Stowe but rather to highlight the importance of counter-storytelling for general audiences to understand unfiltered multicultural perspectives bette