My Black Body Speaks: African Diaspora Dancing for Social Justice and Resistance. Empowering Afro-Descendant Bodies and Voices Through Chirimía Chocoana.

This study explores the intersections between dance, social justice, and resistance in Afro descendant communities. Through African diasporic dance, particularly Chirimía Chocoana, this research examines how movement serves as a form of resistance, cultural preservation, and empowerment. Employing Critical Ethnography and Participatory Action Research (PAR), the study engages Afro-descendant cultural leaders, community members and students at Georgia State University in collaborative interviews and workshops. The study positions dance as a tool for social transformation. The different narratives highlight the role of dance in reclaiming identity, fostering resilience, and challenging structural inequalities, and they explore themes of identity, freedom, and belonging, providing a visceral experience that speaks to the power of the body as a vessel of history and hope. Ultimately, this work seeks to contribute to the visibility of Afro-Colombian cultural expressions while advocating for dance as a means of activism and liberation.