ABSTRACT
The goals of critical social theories are unapologetically emancipatory and radically transformative. This chapter presents the reflections on how a Critical Social Theories (CST) graduate seminar applied to education cultivated collective hope for a sustainable praxis toward systemic transformation. It illuminates the emancipatory experiences facilitated by the engagement in a range of critical social theories. The chapter provides an overview of the Freirean approach to critical pedagogy which was foundational to the course. It closes with a discussion of themes drawn from the narratives and their implications for advancing emancipatory curriculum as women of color in the academy. The chapter presents the individual narratives, which illustrate how the collective praxis of Freirean critical pedagogy shaped the growth as scholars and education practitioners. In the spirit of critical race feminism, elevating counter-narratives to the dominant discourse in higher education became author's new source of hydration.
