NARRATIVE INQUIRY
"We utilize arts-based research approaches like Narrative Inquiry to put faces to facts. Most importantly, we provide a counter-story to the typical deficit narrative that is generally applied to research regarding the health and well-being of Black people."
Why Black Joy?
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To explore nature's influence on the well-being of Black people.
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To provide a counter-narrative to the typical deficit lens applied to research regarding Black experiences.
Foundational Research Theories
Kujima Theory of Collective Self-Motivation
Kujichagulia
Pronounced: “Koo-jee-cha-goo-LEE-ah”
Swahili Meaning: Self-Determination
Our team members invest their time and passion into every project and community event. We are committed to progressive, relevant projects.
Kuumba
Pronounced: “Koo-oom-bah”
Swahili Meaning: Creativity
From interviews to data analysis and dissemination, our team never fails to find innovative approaches to advancing our health and wellness research initiatives.
Ujima
Pronounced: “Ooo-jee-mah”
Swahili Meaning: Teamwork
The OMNI Institute of Well-Being is proud of its powerful framework of teamwork. From our leadership to research participants, everyone at the OMNI Institue contributes to generating lasting community impact.
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Embodied Knowing
Embodied knowing, one of our many methods of data analysis, values intuition, emotion, and sensory awareness as valid sources of insight. It centers around understanding gained through the body’s experiences, sensations, and movements, rather than solely through intellectual reasoning. It emphasizes the integration of mind and body, recognizing that knowledge is felt, lived, and expressed physically (Lawrence, 2012).
Endarkened Narrative Inquiry
Narrative inquiry is a qualitative research method that explores how people make sense of their experiences through storytelling. Expanded, endarkened narrative inquiry centers the lived experiences of Black and Brown people.
Our primary methodological framework was developed by Dr. Keondria McClish-Boyd and Dr. Kakali Bhattacharya.
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Rooted in Black feminist thought, it encourages researchers to explore personal and cultural stories through the lens of race, spirituality, and social justice. It challenges dominant narratives, centering marginalized voices and lived experiences to illuminate deeper truths and promote transformative understanding in education and research. It is the art of storytelling through research.
Research Projects
Black Joy in Green Spaces
Black Joy in Green Spaces: The Web Series ’23 consists of four webisodes that explore three primary research questions related to Chris Omni’s dissertation, “Black Joy in Green Spaces: A Nature-Inspired, Endarkened, Visual Narrative Inquiry about Black Women and Joy.”​
View the Black Joy in Green Spaces Presentation.
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Episode One provides a brief background of the duality of Black Joy AND pain that exists in green spaces.
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Episode Two addresses Research Question # 1 – “What is the relationship between green spaces, joy, and Black women’s experiences?“
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Episode Three addresses Research Question # 2 – “How does Black Joy show up for Black women who routinely commune with nature?“
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Episode Four addresses Research Question #3 – “How can the stories of Black women in green spaces help to conceptualize nature as a place of learning about and through Black Joy?"
Special thanks to Nadine Long, Dionne Gerri, and TaNica Holmes for allowing us a front row seat into your life. We are grateful!
The Omnipresence of Black Joy Tour
The OMNI Institute led an informational tour on Black Joy which crossed campuses, states, and seas. Dr. Omni, MPH, MLS led the team in promoting Black Joy as a new social determinant of health and the vision of establishing wellness as a priority within Black communities worldwide.
Research Poster (Year One Mentees)
