Want to create interactive content? It’s easy in Genially!

Get started free

Black UM

Neal Daniel

Created on December 4, 2022

Start designing with a free template

Discover more than 1500 professional designs like these:

Essential Dossier

Essential Business Proposal

Essential One Pager

Akihabara Dossier

Akihabara Marketing Proposal

Akihabara One Pager

Vertical Genial One Pager

Transcript

You can write a introduction here

The "Black UM" Group Chat

Table of Contents

Code-switching

Digital vs Physical

What is the "Black UM" group chat?

Conclusion

Comfort of Intercommunication

Title 1

The "Black UM" Group Chat

It is a group chat in GroupMe that is composed of Black students at UMiami.

"Safe space for students of color at University of Miami"

This is the caption that describes the group chat as a whole. It outlines the main goal that it pursues and serves as the backbone of its existence

How many members does the group chat have?

Uses

60 150 500 1000

Hover to learn more

Title 1

Comfort of Intercommunication

"without any means of intercommunication of any kind, there is no real community" -John Swales

In attending a non-HBCU like the University of Miami, Black students are often surrounded by non-Black students. In this. it can be difficult for them to express themselves in the truest ways possible, due to society's lesser perception of Blackness, whether in language, action, culture, etc.

As a result, the connections that Black students make among themselves are valuable to them; not only becuase they are often sparse, but also because they allow them to linguistically and emotionally live in a way that is comfortable for Black people. These connections serve as a break . . .

WHAT IS INTERCOMMUNICATION?

Intercommunition serves as the base that this discourse community is built on as group chats are made for a large number of people to talk to each other

Click to learn more about Swales

“from the White world and a place where they felt comfortable letting their guards down to dress, talk, and socialize in ways that were comfortable and familiar without fear of perpetuating negative Black stereotypes”

-Douglas Guiffrida and Kathryn Douthit

Click to enlarge

More information about UM demographics

Title 1

In the "Black UM" group chat, however, Black students do not need to code-switch as everyone in it knows and understands Black Language(BL).

Code-switching for Black Students

Switching language to become more palatable in a specific environment

Language Why? Effect

This screenshot displays the usage of Black Language and the lack of judgement that ensues, creating a safe space.

Digital vs Physical
EXCEPT IT IS NOT LIMITED AT ALL

In addition to the communication that occurs within the group chat, members make efforts to occupy the same physical spaces as well.

“weak ties rather than stronger ties . . . limited . . . by physical proximity"

-Lee et al.

Facial expressions Body Language Tone & Intonation

Despite its prominence, digital communication is seen as inferior to physical communication because it lacks real connection.

Click to enlarge

This screenshot is a representation of a specific criteria of a discourse community:

As a result, the impact of the discourse community on the Black student body may be limited due to its existence as simply a group chat . . .

PARTICIPATORY MECHANISMS

Title 1

Conclusion

Considering the small size of the Black student body in comparison to HBCUs, it is important for Black students to connect and the "Black UM" group chat is a simple and easy way to facilitate that connection. Even after only being on campus for a semester, freshmen feel the impact of the group chat. One freshman stated:

Even if just a group chat, "Black UM" is essential for Black comfort on campus It allows Black students to:

  • use BL indiscriminantly in a space where it is understood
  • exist in a space where the pressure of a White-dominated society does not exist
  • create in-person activities to strenghthen the sparsely-populated Black community on campus

“I’d think there was something missing to really unite the black community on campus”-freshman

Are you interested in learning more about "Black UM"? Click here

Title 1

thank you!