Communal Spiritual Nurturing, Care, and Love: A Natural Disruption to Hegemonic Spaces

Joyce Levingston is an EdD candidate in Allied Health, Recreation and Community Services at the University of Northern Iowa. Her research focuses on health disparities, particularly food insecurity among youth in K-12 education, with her dissertation examining the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act. As a woman of color and a parent of a child in special education, she brings personal insight to her academic work.

Rev. Dr. Belinda Creighton-Smith, MDiv, EdD, is a bivocational leader serving as a pastor of Faith Temple American Baptist Church, USA and working in various human service roles. A veteran and proud parent, she has directed programs addressing the needs of African American communities, including work with the American Red Cross and in higher education. Her scholarship and service are rooted in a commitment to equity for BIPOC and marginalized identities.

Dr. David I. Hernández-Saca is an associate professor of Disability Studies in Education (DSE) at the University of Northern Iowa, in the Department of Literacy, Early Childhood, Special Education, and Library Studies, where he teaches courses on special education law, advocacy, and inclusive learning environments through a DSE lens. His research explores the emotional and systemic impacts of learning disability labeling, teacher education, and academic violence against marginalized scholars. He is committed to educational equity through interdisciplinary inquiry at the intersection of general and special education.