A.A.R.T.
Welcome to A.A.R.T.
The African Atlantic Research Team, affectionately known as AART is truly a “mentoring collective” of undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and community persons interested in issues related to people of African descent throughout the Americas. We carryout our academic lives as a collective, whether during research, writing, or mentoring.
We derive the collective philosophical perspective from a similar emphasis within the cultural communities from which we come and we attempt to operate within that philosophy while enhancing our presence and skills as academic persons. Much activity in colleges and universities is focused on achievement that has come from individual performance. We challenge that link while operationalizing collective work.
Latest Works
The Director of AART, Jualynne E. Dodson has completed a book manuscript, Sacred Spaces: Religious Traditions in Oriente Cuba. This volume attempts to contribute to knowledge about sacred life in Oriente Cuba. This work discusses the sacred spaces of four distinct religious traditions of the eastern, "Oriente" region of Cuba. Three of the traditions are Africa based. Sacred Spaces is distinguished by its focus on Oriente as well as by the authors' exploration of the interrelated nature of Oriente sacred life. Importantly, Dodson utilizes critical and precise language to describe the traditions, making the book a seminal resource for readers with varying levels of familiarity with the subject matter.
Newsletter
Among the 19 or more AART members who completed the bachelor’s degree, at least 8 graduated with honors and 2 of these at the level of “summa cum laude.” One such graduate was awarded a full fellowship to pursue a PhD in Anthropology while another graduating AART student received the prestigious “Marshall Fellowship” to study for two years at any university in Great Britain. Several AART graduate students have been awarded fellowships to study a second or third language in intensive cross-cultural situations. We are truly delighted to have produced a program of activities that have helped students accomplish all of these accolades.
See what AART is all about!
Dr. Dodson holds regular office hours on campus. AART welcomes you to come find out how to join.
An Ode to Those-
This is an ode to the ancestors. This is an ode to those who gave their lives. To those who said “enough” and stood tall, To those who suffered beyond belief so that those who did stand tall could. This is an ode to those who loved . . . Who loved something greater than themselves, cherished and held what they could. Losing themselves in the souls of their companions knowing they could continue together. This is an ode to those who watched their children grow, Making every treacherous inhalation of the mundane justified, And the tangerine flavor of the new day that much sweeter. This is an ode to those who made our lives possible. This is an ode to those who guide us. This is an ode to the ancestors.
Thank you.