The Classroom as a “Brave Space” in Jacqueline Woodson’s Harbor Me

In this essay, I utilize Robert Stepto’s “ritual ground” concept and Ray Oldenburg’s “third place” theory to analyze Jacqueline Woodson’s Harbor Me. I posit that Ms. Laverne repurposes an old art classroom as both a “third place” and a “ritual ground” for her students, and as a result, her students are empowered to create community and find their individual and collective voices.