FRACTALS

This book deepens its intellectual pursuit of Black liberation through creative writing and understanding poetry as a unifying concept. FRACTALS explores the power of poetry to articulate the inner life of Black individuals, offering a space to express emotions, thoughts, and experiences often marginalized or suppressed in dominant narratives. This articulation is a form of resistance, asserting the humanity and complexity of Black people, as emphasized in ""Black Aliveness and the Poetics of Being"" by Quashie. Poetry is a powerful medium for imagining new possibilities and envisioning more just and equitable futures, as described in ""Emergent Strategy"" by adrienne maree brown. It can articulate the complex, intertwined relationships that define human existence, a concept explored in ""Poetics of Relation"" by Édouard Glissant. Moreover, poetry serves as a potent tool for both personal and collective empowerment, continuing the legacy of Audre Lorde. Key questions explored through poetry in this book include: - How can poetry be effectively integrated into evaluation methodologies to capture nuanced experiences, emotions, and perceptions that other data might overlook, and what challenges or limitations arise in this process? - How does incorporating poetry into evaluation methodologies enhance participant engagement, encourage reflexivity, and contribute to a more holistic understanding of programmatic outcomes and impacts, particularly in settings where traditional evaluation methods may fall short? - What ethical considerations arise when using poetry in evaluation, particularly regarding issues of informed consent, cultural sensitivity, and power dynamics between evaluators and participants, and how can these challenges be addressed to ensure ethical practice and integrity in evaluative processes? FRACTALS invites readers to explore the transformative potential of poetry as a tool for Black liberation and offers profound insights into its application within evaluative frameworks.

About the Author :
Monique Inez Liston, Ph.D., uses creative writing exercises to deepen her evaluation and leadership practices. Her mission is to infuse Afro-futurist values into her work, igniting transformative change within teams, organizations, and community leaders. Grounded in the belief that the futures of Black people are integral to social justice, monique champions emergence and abolition as pathways to liberatory practices. She channels her passion into action as the founder, Chief Strategist, and Joyful Militant at UBUNTU Research and Evaluation. monique's leadership has propelled her undisciplined team of independent researchers and evaluators to remarkable heights. Together, they've secured millions in contracts, captivated audiences at global conferences, and contributed groundbreaking insights to evaluation, higher education, and Black Studies literature. Her trailblazing efforts have garnered well-deserved recognition, including prestigious accolades such as the Milwaukee Business Journal's Diversity in Business Community Engagement Award, the Campaign for Black Male Achievement Respect Award, and the YWCA of Southeastern Wisconsin Eliminating Racism Award. Not to mention, her organization's repeated nominations for the Shepherd Express's Best Place to Work for Social Justice. monique's academic journey unique, with degrees from Howard University, the University of Delaware, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, complemented by a Graduate Certificate in Women's and Gender Studies.