K.C. Harrison

What motivates me in my work?

I've always been intensely curious about how the world works and what it looks like through others' eyes. I read stories because they satisfy and stoke this desire. Increasingly, I believe that stories have a fundamental role to play in seeking justice. We need to listen to each other, understand our shared struggles, and harness our strengths to make change.

What can students expect from me?

I believe in students' capacity to grow as scholars and as people. I'm excited to assist you on this journey by providing challenges along with the tools to succeed. I believe with Paulo Freire that no education is politically neutral, and that it is our job as educators to challenge the status quo. I hope that my students bring their own passions to the classroom and feel empowered to create the world they want to see.

Teaching Philosophy

Your time at college is not a waiting period before "real life" begins, but a time to vitally engage with who you are, where you come from, and where you are going. 

Stories are not "add ons"--entertainment or embellishment to the serious business of living. We use stories every day to understand ourselves and our world. It is imperative, therefore, to equip ourselves with the tools to analyze how stories are constructed: what words produce particular effects, what techniques manipulate or move us.

In my classes students actively participate in group discussions, classroom leadership, and activities that engage diverse skill sets--involving art, movement, and collaboration. We take on subjects that may at first be difficult to discuss, such as how race, class, and gender affect our experiences and interpretations.

My work as a community activist informs my teaching. As part of the Minneapolis NAACP Criminal Justice Reform Committee, I initiated Warrant Resolution Days in Hennepin, Ramsey, and Dakota Counties. As a member of Jewish Community Action's Decriminalizing Communities Coalition, I contributed to a shift away from ICE enforcement and defeated a housing ordinance that targeted over-policed residents. I am active in my Como neighborhood in St. Paul, and on the Diversity & Equity Committee at the School of Social Work.