EDUCATOR,
DESIGNER &
COMMUNITY BUILDER
Community is the Way
Engaged Writing and Designing for Transformative Change
Community Is the Way is a practical, open-access guide for educators, students, and community partners who want to use writing, design, and media in ways that support the goals of the communities they work alongside.
Grounded in more than a decade of collaborative work, it offers approaches for building shared power, strengthening community capacity, and creating partnerships that advance justice.
“Community is the Way is a crucial read for anyone who wishes to get involved in researching and teaching community-based scholarship and grow a deep and just sense of building a better and more constructive community.”
— Composition Studies
Aimée Knight
I am a writer, educator, and community-engaged scholar, and Professor in the Department of Communication, Film and Journalism at Saint Joseph’s University. I am the author of Community Is the Way: Engaged Writing and Designing for Transformative Change, and recipient of the university’s 2025–2026 Provost’s Faculty Merit Award for Teaching.
As founder of the Beautiful Social Research Collaborative, I have led more than 160 community-led university partnerships in the United States and abroad, including work with Indigenous communities, people currently and formerly incarcerated, and nonprofit organizations. Across my teaching, scholarship, and collaborative practice, I work with students and partners to co-create public-facing media that strengthens local knowledge, relationships, and supports the futures communities envision for themselves.
Available as an Audiobook
Now available in audio, Community Is the Way is the first academic audiobook published by the University Press of Colorado. Narrated by Aimée, it expands access to ideas about community-engaged writing, design, and transformative change for listeners wherever they learn, teach, and collaborate.
Projects
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Beautiful Social Research Collaborative
A long-running collaborative with more than 160 partnerships creating writing, and media projects with communities.
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Rebel Wisdom: Creative Writing & Rituals for Women at Midlife
A collection of writing and shared practices for women in midlife, exploring friendship and collective wisdom through life’s turning points.
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Community-Engaged Summer Workshop
A gathering for writers, educators, activists to explore how writing can support community-led change.
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Community-Led Design: Building Frameworks for Equity & Justice
A framework for building writing, design, and media projects with communities as true co-authors and collaborators.
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Regenerative Media & Design: Toward Shared Futures
An emerging approach to writing, design, and storytelling that gives back, builds capacity, and supports community-led futures.
