Youth Researchers Lead Community Transformation

Income inequality

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Participatory research addresses the exclusion of people of color from academia, where crucial areas of study go unexplored, recommendations unactivated, and the potential to uplift communities left unrealized. Black, Indigenous, and other students of color do not see themselves reflected in research. They are often treated as research subjects, not scholars. They have limited access to research that can impact their communities and even help them build a sense of self. Petrona Garcia, Kid City staff, writes “As a high school student, I never imagined the strong cultural pride I carry now. I attribute this to one night in college when I decided to type in my parents' town “San Mateo Ixtatan” on the UC Library database. Countless articles emerged and I felt seen. I had never seen myself, my story, and my people reflected in academia before. Now, in every space I enter, I proclaim my indigenous identity, that I am Maya Chuj and Q’anjob’al.”

Kid City’s Research Program introduces teen participants to research, and empowers them to address an issue in their community. The cohort meets 2-4 hours a week for two semesters. Participants must submit an application and commit to the entire program. 10-12 teens are selected. The program begins in the fall with self-discovery in conversation with a community of peers. Petrona Garcia, Research Coordinator, introduces academic research that centers the voices and needs of historically underrepresented communities like theirs – people of color with immigrant backgrounds. Participants explore topics that impact their daily lives: from food insecurity, to mental health, to lasting impacts of segregation in LA. They also learn about the research process – methods, target population, ethical norms, etc. In the spring, participants finalize a research question and choose the method to collect data, such as a survey, video testimonies, or focus groups. They meet to collect data and review, discuss, analyze, and summarize the findings. The program culminates in a presentation and action project designed by the cohort. They facilitate a discussion of the findings with their families, friends, colleagues, and all who contributed data. Further discussion of findings leads to ideas and creation of the action project. The action may be a campaign, service project, teach-in, or any action teens choose. The action mobilizes peers and partners to engage and uplift the local community.

As Black, Indigenous, and other students of color are engaged in research in their own communities, they add perspective and lived experience, and transform research from an academic exercise to a tool to strengthen and uplift their community. When teens take ownership of the research process, they strengthen their voices, and develop academic curiosity. They gain skills in analysis, community outreach, and public speaking, which propels their college and career journey. More importantly, engaging teens and young people in action research can prevent people-powered research from disappearing into a rarely-accessed database. Instead, the researchers become peer educators: their surveys inform neighbors and friends, the presentation of their findings inform the community, and when they share findings with statewide partners, their work informs policy advocacy. Finally, through the action project of the research program, teens show others how to use research to make change.

40 students have completed Kid City’s research cycle. Since 2020, at least three members per cohort return to a leadership role in a second year. Impact is measured in the hours each teen contributes and the people they reach. In 23-24, the cohort studied the ways teens of mixed status immigrant families cope with mental health challenges and assessed ways to destigmatize mental health care. They reached hundreds of people by introducing a survey, and analyzed 130+ responses. They impacted practitioners and advocates during presentations of their findings: in the past to Harvard’s Alumni of Color Conference, and recently to local foundation and community stakeholders. Impact is measured in the mobilization of 30-40 volunteers to support an action project each year. And finally, long term impact on teens is seen as they enroll at UC’s, USC, and CalTech, and pursue careers in public service, education, engineering, and research – all fields that impact investment in their communities.