Why Representation Matters

Whose stories shape how we see the world, and whose voices have been missing? From a bathroom poster in Phoenix to the photographs honoring his great-grandmother in Durham’s Fannie Latta House, Kendall Dooley reflects on how representation shapes identity, belonging, and the knowledge we value. Drawing on Boaventura de Sousa Santos and Aisha Thomas, he explores what it means to learn from the wisdom of those whose experiences have been pushed to the margins. Their stories offer more than a reminder that we belong; they invite us to participate in imagining and shaping our collective future.