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    Artistic Autoethnography: How Can We Open the Door to Boundless Artmaking?

Shanita Mitchell
JoinedJuly 1, 2021
Articles12
Comments1
Shanita Mitchell currently serves as the Assistant Director for the Rappahannock Scholars Program at the University of Mary Washington. Since graduating from UMW with her B.A. in 2012, she has continued to pursue her passion for providing underserved and underrepresented student populations with college access opportunities and scholarships by working in and with the Office of Admissions, Financial Aid, and serving as the advisor for various multicultural and performance organizations on campus. That same passion recently led Shanita to acquire her M.A. in English from Southern New Hampshire University with the intent to expand beyond the administrative side of higher ed and into the classroom. Shanita also works as a dance instructor at The Courthouse School of Ballet and Umbiance Dance Studio. In her spare time, Shanita enjoys portrait painting, amateur photography, costuming, video editing, and advancing her study of Black feminist thought, Critical Race Theory, and autoethnography as a meaningful expression of self.

Asexual and Aromantic: Exploring Life Alone but Not Lonely 

Shanita Mitchell·
All ContentAutoethnographic Art & MultimediaQueer Special Issue, 2023-24
·March 12, 2024·2 min read
The focus of this piece is to highlight and celebrate the asexual and aromantic community and what it means to exist outside of the expectation to be partnered.
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Shanita Mitchell as Wicked's elphaba 2 cosplay for The Twerking Academic The AutoEthnographer

The Twerking Academic: What Happens When A Witch Is Black & Beautiful?

Shanita Mitchell·
All ContentAutoethnographic Art & MultimediaLaughter Special Issue, 2023Special Issues
·July 20, 2023·5 min read
What happens when a witch is black? This piece is a salute to the transformational beauty of cosplay & all the laughter it inspires. 
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Photo of woman at window by Shanita Mitchell

Performance and Autoethnography: Award-winning Artist Offers Exclusive Insight

Shanita Mitchell and Marlen Harrison·
All ContentAutoethnographic Art & MultimediaMorePodcastsReflections on MethodVolume 3, Issue 2 (2023)
·April 30, 2023·18 min read
Today we're talking with the award-winning author, researcher, and performer, Shanita Mitchell about performance and autoethnography.
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Photo of Black woman's face by Shanita Mitchell for The AutoEthnographer

The Twerking Academic on Black Hair: How Deep Is Your Love?

Shanita Mitchell·
All ContentAutoethnographic Art & MultimediaVolume 3, Issue 1 (2023)
·February 8, 2023·3 min read
This piece explores the ways in which identity and esteem are interwoven into the topic of Black hair.
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Screenshot of black woman dancing from Shanita Mitchell's A Seat at the Table

New Podcast: Finding Joy in Artistic Performance as Black Feminist Autoethnography

Shanita Mitchell and Renata Ferdinand·
All ContentFrom the EditorsInterviewsMorePodcastsReflections on MethodVolume 2, Issue 4 (2022)
·February 5, 2023·4 min read
How do creatives find joy in artistic performance as a form of black feminist autoethnography? Podcast & video.
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evocative autoethnography

What Do Editors Look for When Reviewing Creative Autoethnography?

Marlen Harrison, Odessa Ogo, Shanita Mitchell, Dilek Isler Hayirli, Sandra L. Faulkner, Jessica Smartt Gullion, Jacob Meadows, Nadine Khair and Lina Fe Simoy·
All ContentEducationFrom the EditorsMoreReflections on MethodVolume 2, Issue 4 (2022)
·January 12, 2023·7 min read
This video explores how editors have developed their approach to reviewing creative autoethnography and highlights strategies for contributors.
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Photo of seated woman 2 shanita mitchell the twerking academic

“Double Consciousness as a Black American”: New Video from The Twerking Academic

Shanita Mitchell·
All ContentAutoethnographic Art & MultimediaVolume 2, Issue 3 (2022)
·September 2, 2022·3 min read
"In the newest video from The Twerking Academic, I explore how the summer of 2020 slammed me back into an awareness of my own double consciousness as a Black American."
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Photo of three women by Shanita Mitchell for the Autoethnographer

The Twerking Academic: “Four Women,” a Multimedia Autoethnography

Shanita Mitchell·
All ContentAutoethnographic Art & MultimediaVolume 2, Issue 2 (2022)
·April 22, 2022·3 min read
I pay homage to Nina Simone’s already iconic and thorough exploration of stereotypes by setting the project to the song “Four Women.”
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Strong Black Woman by Shanita Mitchell for The Autoethnographer

The Twerking Academic: “Strong Black Woman”, a Multimedia Autoethnography

Shanita Mitchell·
All ContentAutoethnographic Art & MultimediaVolume 2, Issue 1 (2022)
·February 10, 2022·3 min read
"At what age does a Black woman learn that it is her job to be strong?"
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Photo of black woman in red dress by Shanita Mitchell for The AutoEthnographer

The Twerking Academic: Bodily Autonomy & “My Stuff”, a Multimedia Performance

Shanita Mitchell·
All ContentAutoethnographic Art & MultimediaVolume 1, Issue 2 (2021)
·November 13, 2021·3 min read
"Then comes that special brand of rage and dejection that the patriarchy inspires by attempting to steal away with my bodily autonomy."
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Photo of a face within a face by Shanita Mitchell for The AutoEthnographer

Black Feminist Grit: “A Seat at the Table” with The Twerking Academic

Shanita Mitchell·
All ContentAutoethnographic Art & MultimediaVolume 1, Issue 1 (2021)
·November 7, 2021·3 min read
“A Seat at the Table” is the autoethnographic manifestation of my vulnerability, anger, and anguish, of my black feminist grit."
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Photo of man in ocean with mask by Alex Iby for Unsplash

Reviewing Evocative Autoethnography: What Do Editors Look for?

Odessa Ogo, Antony Kaminju, Shanita Mitchell, Jacob Meadows, Jessica Smartt Gullion, Nadine Khair, William Doan and Marlen Harrison·
All ContentEducationFrom the EditorsMoreVolume 1, Issue 2 (2021)
·October 8, 2021·6 min read
"When I review evocative autoethnography I look for that layer in the contribution that will entertain and connect to a cultural issue."
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© 2025 The AutoEthnographer, a registered 501(c)(3), ISSN 2833-1400
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