Date of Award

Spring 2026

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Department

School of Journalism and Mass Communications

First Advisor

Jabari Evans

Abstract

The goal of this project is to illustrate the importance of documentation processes grounded in ‘organic representation,’ a media practice paradigm from the work of A. J. Christian (2020). Organic representation prioritizes narrative co-creation, informed consent, and intersections of identity and cultural knowledge. To effectively document a subject’s lived experience, a media professional must share intersections of identity and/or culture with the subject and provide opportunities for narrative co-creation. Intersectional positionality gives media practitioners authority to document important narratives in a way that honors the identity and contextual significance of the subject. For journalists documenting the life and work of LGBTQ+ artists, this informed intersectional positionality is imperative to telling impactful and authentic stories. The following autoethnographic research explores the narratives of three established queer artists in Columbia, South Carolina: myself (as the primary artist and researcher) and two collaborators. Through autoethnographic interview methods and the theoretical framework of organic representation, this study explores the impact of intersectional documentation and narrative co-creation on each of the artists involved.

Rights

© 2026, Eden Joyce Prime

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