Adult Reflection on Engaging Youth of Color in Research and Action: A Case Study From Five U.S. Cities

With the proliferation of participatory approaches to promoting youth development such as Youth-Led Participatory Action Research (YPAR), it is more important than ever that researchers and practitioners understand how to create curriculum that will authentically engage youth of color. To that end, there are important lessons public health researchers can learn from the fields of community psychology, education, and social work, among others. We explore the benefits of a youth-led research and action curriculum steeped in critical pedagogy and critical race theory focused on public health. Youth of color (N = 35) between the ages of 13 and 34 years from five U.S. cities were hired as researchers. The majority (57%) of youth were 16 or 17 years, and the gender split was female (57%) and male (43%). Key informant interviews with adults and qualitative data analysis techniques were employed to examine program products and outcomes. Materials were deductively coded for content related to critical pedagogy and race theory (e.g., empowerment, capacity building and community engagement, skill development) as well as conceptualizations of health. Findings indicate young people (a) began to think more consciously about health, what it means to be healthy, and the factors that influence health; (b) developed critical skills; and (c) described feeling empowered. When given resources and space to lead, we found youth to be insightful, resourceful, compassionate, and deeply committed to improving the lives of their peers, family members, and communities.