Episodes 7 and 8: A Conversation Between Maddy Ross and Jaden McGregor, Luisa Gonzalez, Annie Silva, Lainey Rios, and Valeria Pineda
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Citation:
Ross, Madeleine. ““If we really learned like this in school, school would be so much better”: On Building Generative Classrooms - A Conversation between Maddy Ross and Jaden McGregor, Luisa Gonzalez, Annie Silva, Lainey Rios, and Valeria Pineda (Part One).” Produced by Rubén Gaztambide-Fernández and Sarah Switzer at The Youth Research Lab. The WhyPAR Podcast. October 4, 2021. Podcast, MP3 audio, https://youthresearchlab.org/whypar
Note on attribution:
Ross, Madeleine. ““If we really learned like this in school, school would be so much better”: On Building Generative Classrooms Where Youth Can Thrive - A Conversation between Maddy Ross and Jaden McGregor, Luisa Gonzalez, Annie Silva, Lainey Rios, and Valeria Pineda (Part One).” Produced by Rubén Gaztambide-Fernández and Sarah Switzer at The Youth Research Lab. The WhyPAR Podcast. October 4, 2021. Podcast, MP3 audio, https://youthresearchlab.org/whypar
Host: Welcome to The WhyPAR podcast, a project of the Youth Research Lab at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.
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Host: In the WhyPAR podcast, youth participatory action research practitioners discuss the ethical dimensions of conducting YPAR. In our podcast, we explore issues of co-leading YPAR projects, building relationships, power dynamics, and sharing our work together. The Youth Research Lab is located in Toronto on the traditional territories of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River.
Valeria: If we really learned like this in school, school would be so much better. Teachers might look at it like extra work, but realistically, if the students do good, the teachers do as well.
Host: Welcome everyone! My name is Maddy, and this is my first episode as co-host of the WhyPAR Podcast. I’m a PAR practitioner and currently a research assistant here at the Youth Research Lab.
When I think about what inspired me to do a Master’s in Education, I always come back to my first experiences in YPAR projects nearly a decade ago as a high school student. Just like the amazing young people in today’s conversation, the process of collaborating with my peers to gather data, make meaning, and drive change was a transformational learning experience.
Today’s conversation is the first in a two-part series with five youth researchers in T’karonto. Valeria, Luisa, Lainey, Jaden, and Annie all got their start in YPAR in the Youth Solidarities Project, a night school-based project of the Youth Research Lab that brought together Urban Indigenous and Latinx high school students to better understand and address challenges youth face in schools. Since then, they’ve graduated from high school, began post-secondary studies, and have taken on the role of facilitator in other YPAR initiatives. Most recently, they came together in the summer of 2020 to explore how Indigenous and Latinx youth in their communities are navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this episode, the youth researchers focus on their high school experiences in a YPAR classroom. Together, we discuss how the relational ethic of YPAR shaped a generative learning environment that was distinct from their other experiences in education. We talk about power dynamics in student-teacher relationships, the value of students having autonomy in their education, and lessons from YPAR that teachers can bring into their classrooms to better support the success and wellbeing of all students. This conversation was recorded over Zoom. And with that, let’s jump in!
Host: Thank you for joining us and let's start with having you go around and introduce yourselves.
Valeria: I can go first. So my name is Valeria. I'm a first-generation Mexican immigrant. I started YPAR, I believe in 2018 during my last year of high school. And I joined again for my fifth year during high school and participated in the research project we did at the beginning of the pandemic, and I'm currently studying social services, for immigrants and refugees.
Luisa: So hello, my name’s Luisa Gonzalez. I started YPAR in my, in Grade 11, so, and wasn't able to do it in Grade 12, but then rejoined the project again. And now we, I also participated in the recent project around COVID and currently I'm finishing my first year at Ryerson with a Bachelor in Social Work.
Lainey: Hi, my name's Lainey. I have been doing YPAR for about three years now, I think. I also started in Grade 11 and I did the night school program for two years then after joined this group. I am currently finishing up my first year of university at the University of Guelph, and I am doing a Bachelor of Science.
Jaden: Hello, my name is Jaden McGregor or Wasseyaa giiwe nibin, I am an Indigenous and Jamaican Torontonian. I have been a part of YPAR for the last two years. I started in 2019, initially in the night school program. And now I'm a part of this group, am currently studying Geography and Aviation at the University of Waterloo. And I'm just finishing up my first year.
Annie: Hi, my name is Annie Silva and I am from Colombia. I started a YPAR my last year of high school, Grade 12. I did the night program there and then I went on and did the research opportunity, the one we just finished. And I'm currently studying at the University of Toronto Arts and Science Program.
Host: So you've all briefly mentioned some of the projects that you've been involved in, night school, other classes. So why don’t you give us an idea of what brought you to this work or how you first started doing YPAR?
Valeria: For me personally, when I first, when I first was introduced to this, the YPAR program I participated in, I was very intrigued. Because I remember it, mentioned it was for Latinx and Indigenous students and throughout my whole like, high school and elementary school, education, I never really saw any programs or anything dedicated to the Latin American community. So, I didn't know exactly what YPAR was, but I was pretty excited because of that. And yeah.
Lainey: Yeah, similar to Valeria, I heard about it from a friend. She had just started the program and she seemed really interested in it and was excited about it. So I asked if I could join, I emailed directly one of the teachers, cause I was really late to the program. I kind of begged her to let me join because it was the very first thing I've ever heard of for Latinx students. And I was kind of excited to meet more Latinx students as I lived in pretty like white neighborhood with not a lot of Hispanic people. So, I was really interested about it and that's how I joined.
Luisa: For me, my guidance counsellor at the high school I was at, called me down. And my first, honestly, I thought I was in trouble, but it was for the opportunity to meet one of the recruiters for the YPAR project. And, I actually met with Kaitlind and we had a conversation about how the course would be carried out as we were getting a credit that counted towards our graduation. And, I remember that she explained that we were able to structure our own learning and, like request what we were going to be marked on. And she presented it as something that like ‘you had a say in your education’. And that was really not the case for the courses that were mandatory in high school. You were mostly just given a syllabus or instructions, and this is going to be this, this is going to count towards this, but it was nice to have an, an opinion towards the curriculum. And that's honestly what caught my attention.
Annie: So yeah, I knew about it in Grade 11, but I couldn't join it. I was too late, but then in Grade 12 I had the opportunity to, you know, be part of it. And I thought it was really interesting and I met a lot of new people, which I really liked. And then yeah, they offered me, well, you applied to go into the other research one that we just finished and that's how I started at YPAR.
Jaden: I, like I said, I started, I joined the program in my last year of high school and I'm always looking for opportunities like this to connect with youth who have like an interest in research and also just like more learning and such. So, one of my teachers actually found the opportunity and they kind of presented it to me and I was like, this sounds really cool. It could be fun to do. And so far, I really enjoyed it, because it's a different way to learn as well as allowing me to have my own way to kind of understand other people in my community as well as, just overall kind of research wise. Yeah.
Host: I think part of what also makes your experience unique is that all of this, all of the participatory action research that you've been involved with has been in a school setting or initiated in a school setting. And I'm curious about, when you first started participating in this class, how you felt and how it was different from your other experiences in school or in education until that point.
Luisa: For me, it felt more personal because, I remember it would normally start at four. And, when we got there, normally most of the time there was food ready for us to eat and they were very, like, the instructors were very like interested in you and it was a small group, but it was still a good amount of people that like, you know, it was, it would have been easy for the instructors to just kind of, you know, sit you down, whatever, do your thing. But I really liked how, as one by one we came in, they would always be like, how was your day? You know, and how are you doing? And we had these activities, it was called a Rose and a Thorn, and we would share a good thing that had happened in the week and a bad thing. And I felt like I actually really got to know everyone.
Lainey: Yeah. Kinda what Luisa said. The instructors really did remember what you kind of said, your thorn was last day or something good that's going to happen. They kinda follow up and ask you how it went. You had a test, they’d ask you, ‘Oh how was your test?’ you know? They really tried to remember and build that connection with you, which is really nice. In terms of the setting, I did think it was weird. I remember the first day of class, we, we got put into groups and then they told us, okay, you guys are going to make your own rules. You guys are gonna make a list of your classroom rules. And I looked at my friend. I was like, what? We've never done this before. Like, this is kind of weird. It was fun though. You got to meet new people because you were put in random groups and we stuck by those rules.
Valeria: Similar to what Lainey and Luisa said, I thought it was really nice that we got to kind of choose how we wanted to go about the course. I feel like, it, like the facilitators kind of were, they cared about our different types of learning. Cause I know some people, for example, they are better at tests and some people are better at assignments. Some people are more artistic and you know, everyone has different ways of learning. And I feel like that's something that lacks in our education system and I feel like it gave students the opportunity to kind of really show what they were good at and that they can actually, you know, go about a course if they're given the opportunity to present their work in a way they can. So I really appreciated that. And like Luisa said as well, like the facilitators cared about our wellbeing, the Rose and the Thorn I feel like impacted everybody in a really positive way because they created like a sense of trust. And, you know, it created a positive environment where everybody can come and feel like they can, you know, share something personal about their weekend. And I can tell that throughout the course, people opened up more and more and it, and yeah, I feel like it's just a good thing because a lot of people go to school and teachers don't really care. And, the students don't work well with people that don't really care. So I feel like it created a good dynamic between the facilitators and the students.
Jaden: One thing I really liked is it is, it didn't feel like they were teaching us. It felt like we were discussing things together as a team and a group. That was something I really liked and comparable to other schools. Like they're kind of, they're telling you what to learn and telling you what to look at and understand. But with YPAR and our groups that we've been a part of. We kind of come together as a team and figuring out what we want to focus on.
Annie: Yeah. One thing that really interested me was, you know, as everyone said, the learning dynamic, because all of the courses that I took in high school were very like, academic-oriented. So it was very much like your regular, your, your teachers there, everyone's facing the teacher or you're writing down notes as fast as you can, to try to like understand everything. And then, you know, the test comes and you have to memorize a lot of stuff. And at the end of the course, well, a lot of sticks, a lot of things stick with you, but others, no, you don't remember as well. But I remember a lot about what we used to talk about in, our night school, I think mostly because as it was said before, it was more of a conversation that you had instead of, like sit down and learn, but I'm giving you all of the answers and you have to memorize everything. So that part was really interesting for me. And it was a big, like change because not, it felt more relaxed, but at the same time, you were still learning a lot and it was really interesting how everything connected at one point when, when we, ended up at the end, everything connected, and it was always really interesting to go to class.
Luisa: Something that really stuck with me was that, for, it was like when Lainey mentioned that we made a list, we, the instructors asked us, asked us, do you want an exam? And even though like Valeria said, there's so many people that have different ways of learning, and I'm a hundred percent sure that in that group, there was all of them. Right. But we all immediately agreed on no exam. Like there was no argument, like there was no, no pushback. And I think that, that really shows how the education system really doesn't even understand students because if a group of practically strangers, it was our first class, was able to agree on one thing. And at the end, it benefited all of us.
Host: It sounds like the dynamic between the facilitators and the youth researchers was very different from the normal teacher-student dynamic and that you were able to guide your own learning. Talk a little bit about how that relationship formed between the facilitators and the students.
Luisa: I think an important thing was that you saw that they had your best interest in mind. It wasn't just like you have to get through the course. We have to, you know, get over this and you have to just get your credit. It was very like personal. I don’t know, that's the only way that I could think of describing it. They were very, aware of your perspectives, of your opinions and everything.
Valeria: Yeah. I agree with Luisa. I feel like, like she said, I feel like from before they even met us, they already had the goal that like, they want us to succeed throughout the course, like, each and every one of us. So obviously, you know, the facilitators are researchers as well. So I feel like from what they've learned or experienced, they know, they know as well that students can thrive better in that type of environment and that's what they created for us. So I feel like it was just their end goal to make us as comfortable as we can.
Lainey: Yeah. Just to add on to that, one thing that I remember a lot of was towards the end of the program, we have like a big project, like our research project, and this project could be on anything that you really wanted to do. And I feel like normally we can do like these big projects at the end of the year, and you kind of need approval from your teacher. You know, you kind of ask them like, oh, is this okay? Is this aligned with the curriculum? But when I remember, if I ever asked any of the instructors, they wouldn't tell me yes or no, they would say, do you want to do that? Can you do that? Is this something you want to do? It was very like, just about the students. So I thought that was really, really nice of them. And as Valeria said, I think from the beginning, the classroom was focused around us and the students, not around the teachers, they really let the learning kind of flow wherever it was. Like, like wherever it went, that's where we'd kind of go with it. Like if we start talking about one topic, but it went into another like way different direction, we'd go with it. Like they wouldn't stop because oh, we have to get back on track. Then they kind of let us lead our own learning.
Host: What are some lessons from PAR that teachers can take and bring into their classrooms?
Luisa: I think an important thing is to not rush the learning, to not push people to fit into the box, even though that is hard given the standards that there are, curriculum and stuff. But try and make it a little bit, a little bit, at least in some way, a little bit more personal, even if it's just a, ‘Hey, how are you?’ to your students and actually paying attention. I think that something small like that at least would make a big difference.
Valeria: Yeah, like we mentioned a lot of times, the importance of recognizing the importance of students. I feel like impacts the learning of students, but also like how the dynamic that is created for the classroom. I feel like there's mutual, more mutual respect between facilitators and students. So like Luisa said, asking the Rose and a Thorn is such a perfect example because it shows that we all care about each other, our well-being, and before we learn, obviously our well-being is first, you know? And being understanding of students. I know many times some students and even myself, we were kind of like maybe a bit more tired or, you know, we weren't working our best. I can, I know, like some of the facilitators realized, like when I was feeling more down or when I was looking tired and stuff, and they would ask me about it rather than judging me, because I feel like in school when you're not working well and maybe you're having a bad day, teachers instantly judge you and you know, kind of base their thought of you on that instead of asking what's wrong or how things can get better. So, yeah, I feel like recognizing the importance of students and the importance of showing them kindness can have a good impact in their learning and in teaching.
Lainey: Yeah, just to add on what Valeria said, I think having that personal connection with your students and having some sort of relationship with them really helps when they're feeling down or, you know, what works best for them at the end of the day. A lot of the times the facilitators or teachers would kind of pick up on things, like a couple of times if I was down or I looked like I wasn't doing well, they told me to go home early. And they would always say, oh, you need to complete a certain amount of hours in order to get the credit. They, if I left like 30 minutes earlier, an hour earlier, they wouldn't tell me, oh, you need to make up the time. They were very considerate about that. And they understood if you needed to be somewhere else. If you couldn't make it one day, they would either give you an assignment or they'd ask you kind of how do you want to make it up? I think I had to make up a class one time. And they're very, very understanding. And I think that helps because you can easily come to them when you have any problem, you can, you can talk to them versus when you are in high school and taking let’s say a science course. I know that I was stressed out and I would never ask my teachers for an extension. I just felt I couldn't. Like I probably could have, but I didn't have that relationship with them or I thought that they would actually understand me and give me an extension or let me write the test like a day later. So I think that's really important.
Luisa: Just to add onto what Lainey said, I think it's very important to build an environment where your students don't fear your authority because normally, sometimes if you were to ask for an extension, it's, you’re given this whole interrogation. And it's understandable that there are sometimes reasons, and, but you also have to be, I think, understand the circumstances. Like, is this a student that has always done what they're doing or are they actually maybe going through something? So I think that it's important to establish a relationship so that your students aren't just fearful of you.
Annie: And I think going back to the science and math courses and connecting with… The fact that we had a Rose and a Thorn, it was, at first I kind of saw it as a waste of time in the beginning of the class because I thought it was just, you know, people are just making things up or like or like it's just a way to just move on or waste a little bit of time. But at the end, I would like even after a couple of times that we did it, I think it was very helpful for myself even to get some, even if it was a small thing like, oh, I didn't like the weather today or the weather was beautiful today, just getting something out like that was really helpful. And hearing someone talk about their day was, too. And sometimes, I think I saw it as a waste of time in the beginning was because every course that I would go to, like a math or science courses, like you sat down, you waited for the teacher and they started talking. They started teaching the lesson. And there was no connection between them or you in any way. And they were always like, OK, we have to get through this. We're not going to waste time. We have to get through the unit like all of this. And yeah, it was really hard for me to even ask them you know a question, because I just thought that, ‘Oh, I should understand this already’ because of the way that they presented this information was like you had to know it, you had to know. But taking the time for even your students to, for the teacher to be reassured that the students know the information is just I think is very important as well, because I think even as a teacher, I think it's a reassuring yourself that you're being a good teacher if your students are understanding the material. But yeah, even if it takes just a little bit more time than usual, it'll go a long way. For the students, yeah.
Lainey: To add onto what Annie said about the Rose and the Thorn, when you're sharing and somebody else is like, oh yeah, I'm stressed too about exams or yeah the mood has me feeling down. It gives you a sense of almost validation that your, your kind of problems are valid. They're not just dismissed and you're not the only one. That was a big thing that came up in our COVID project. But I think a lot of people think part of it is that they notice that they're not the only ones going through these problems. They're not alone because in COVID you feel very isolated from everybody else. So, I think I just connected to that, that even the Rose and the Thorn brought that to us. You know, we're all students who are going through similar things.
Valeria: Yeah, I want to add on to what pretty much everybody said, I feel like I was thinking about it as well. Like, you know, if we really learned like this in school, school would be so much better. And but I was thinking, like, you know, teachers might look at it like extra work, but realistically. If the students do good, the teachers do as well, and I feel like it creates mutual respect and it just makes class not fun, fun is not the right word, but maybe more, I don't know, more educational, more positive rather than like, ‘Ugh I have to go to class. And I don't like this teacher’ and things like that. Like, you know, I feel like it's difficult on a lot of students. And I feel like every student goes through difficult times in school. And I feel like if these extra little efforts were put into teaching and into the students, I feel like more students would be able to do well. There'd be not a lot of people dropping out and things like that. So I feel like putting in that extra work to being kind and acknowledging your students and maybe accommodating them a little bit, like it goes a long way.
Host: I'm really hearing the importance of mutual respect between the researchers and the facilitators, and how community building is not just a nice to have part of the process, but actually essential to doing PAR in itself. Can you think of any other essential components of the process that really make PAR a meaningful learning experience as a student?
Jaden: I think the ability to discuss things and have that very space that feels very open and not just one way to do things, but having those, being able to hear those other perspectives and hear those other ideas and still incorporate them into that, I guess, let's say the greater idea of what we want to do. And for example, the latest project we've had, we all came in with a bunch of ideas about what we wanted to do but we were able to incorporate all those separate ideas into the final project and create something that we all liked and enjoy it. I think it's important to have that space of discussion and have a very open space and not have it restricted to one right way of doing things.
Annie: I think also, though, the teaching styles, I think we would go over it, maybe we didn't realize it, but we would go over the same theme or the same topic several times, but in, even in different environments and in different ways that we did it as well. Because I remember we would meet in two places, we would meet at the OISE or we would meet at the school. And sometimes we would even talk about the same things. But weirdly enough, they would present it differently, but, and at different locations. But it would just stick with me a little bit more. So going through topics more than once or teaching it different ways was also, I think, a really good strategy that they used for teaching.
Lainey: Yes, to add on what Annie said, I think that was a really important part of YPAR was different styles used. Even though in the moment you don't realize you're learning. That's the good part about it. They use so many different ways to teach us things that we didn't even know we were learning. Like I remember we did a graffiti wall and, you know, we kind of just I was, oh, you know, fun. We just kind of have to draw on the wall. But you actually kind of got to think about what you're drawing about. They gave us like a question or a prompt. We even did, like body maps. And, you know, they brought in Elders to talk to us. We did like, one time when we went into OISE we kind of broke out in different groups and we all did different activities. But as Annie said, they're all around the same things, but these different teaching styles make you look at it in different ways. So I think that's the really important part that they incorporate into the program.
Host: How has your engagement in these PAR projects changed or shaped other aspects of your life?
Luisa: For me it had a really big impact. In Grade 11, when I first joined, I was actually, I was thinking about university, of course. And, I was actually thinking about going into nursing and, I was taking, you know, all of the sciences and all of those advanced programs. And I honestly like had never realized that even if it wasn't, you know, something like in medicine or a law or, or those things that are like that are viewed as success, that you could still do something and have an impact and be successful. And, it really helped me focus more towards my social science classes. And that is how I ended up in a social work program. So I'll personally, I think it had a very drastic change in what I was doing in life.
Lainey: I think for me personally, it kind of opened the door of research for me. I had never really thought about it in high school. They, I was not like Luisa in Grade 11. I was not thinking about what I was going to do after high school. I chose very last minute. I didn't know what I wanted to do. But I really liked research. And then towards the end of Grade 11 and Grade 12, I discovered that I really enjoyed science. And in science you could also do a lot of research. So I think it also helped me just to realize how much I would love to incorporate like science and research together. I’ve tried to look for other opportunities similar, but I think it's a little bit harder to get into science research opportunities because there's a lot of people trying to look for that. But I think it impacted like my decision of what I want to do later on. Like, I definitely want to continue doing research.
Jaden: For me. I always kind of saw research as it's very big and complicated thing. So YPAR kind of, I guess simplified it, it doesn't seem as like scary, I guess, or like very like grandiose, it's more of like a thing that I can kind of do in my own life, I guess, the skills and the, that sense to my own life and kind of build on that also, I didn't really know, like research that much. But also like doing this YPAR has kind of inspired me even in my program, there isn't that much research aspect, but it kind of makes me want to like, pursue further education and research perspectives and kind of just see what I can find and learn about.
Valeria: For me, I was always very interested in like social justice issues, um, and things like that. And from what I had read about the description of this YPAR program, I understood that we were going to learn about colonization and decolonization and things like that. So I was like, that's kinda what caught my attention. And I feel like it increased my knowledge a lot about Cana-, like about Canadian history, about colonization and things like that. Like in my upbringing, my Mom always taught me about colonization and always made sure we knew about our ancestors, my family, my siblings, and I, so I felt like really happy when we were learning this in this class. And it also, I wanted to be a social worker for a while and I feel like it bettered my experience. And also it also opened my eyes on, you know, how I can work with the Indigenous community better and how I can be, you know, respectful to the land we're on and things like that. So yeah, it kinda opened my eyes a little bit more to like future projects I would like to do. And of course the facilitators, I feel like they were very good on advice and they're very helpful. So I learned a lot from them. That I learned things that I know I can use in the future.
Host: What is your advice for folks who are interested in doing this sort of work, participatory action research with young people?
Jaden: For me, I would simply say dive in and have fun and see what you find.
Luisa: Yeah, I would say it's, they should do it. Like whether it, you know, it gives them a drastic change in their life or not. I think it's a wonderful experience and to get to know people that are in the same community as you, for example, like I didn't really even know many people that were Latinx at my school or anywhere near, let alone Indigenous people. So I think that it's important to join it so you can, you know, get to at least get to know new people.
Valeria: Um, I would say the same. And also I feel like for facilitators and participants, I, I feel like they should know the great impact and, um, that this project has on students. And I feel like facilitators as well. It's, it's very positive and I feel like it's very needed and useful in our communities. So I feel like it's, I hope there's future YPAR projects. And I hope there's people around that get to participate in these YPAR projects because I feel like it can have a very impact, a very, a very good impact for, for youth and for other people. And it can be like lasting, a lasting impact that can, you know, possibly make them feel better or anything like that. Yeah.
Lainey: I think for facilitators, I would say, go for it, do it. I think it will be very beneficial to their students and I assume it must be hard to do something that not a lot of teachers do, or that it's not really appreciated or seen as normal in the curriculum, but I think it's a great opportunity, students should definitely try and be a part of it. I think they will appreciate it highly and facilitators as well. Once you kind of see what impact do you give on your students... I think it will make them feel good as well. And also like don't be afraid to kind of make it personalized. I feel like that's the beauty of YPAR you can take it in different, routes. You can do it about science, you can do it about, social sciences or art or anything. So it's not like this box you're trying to fit into, it’s more like thinking outside of the box.
Annie: Yeah. And I think for students, there's always that sacrifice, you know, cause it's not in school. Of it being, you know, either you have to travel certain amount of minutes or hours to do it and you have to take time of your day. But I think it's very useful at the end of the day because, you know, if the facilitators do it right, well even if there's a right way to do it, cause you know, everyone has their own different ways, but the way I experienced it, it was so much fun. I learned so many things and I met so many people in the process and it really got me thinking about a lot of things, especially just how much of a space they gave us as marginalized communities that, you know, in my school, it was a, not a very, it wasn't, it was a very white school as well. And just having that space within people that you can connect to one way or another was just really great.
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Host: Thank you so much for joining us on this episode of the WhyPAR Podcast. This conversation was a powerful example of how YPAR can be an inclusive pedagogy that creates conditions for youth to thrive in their education. I learned so much from these youth researchers about how YPAR in schools moves away from traditional teacher-student hierarchies by embracing young peoples’ inherent knowledge and by centering their agency to create change in their lives. Be sure to stay tuned for Part Two of this series, where Valeria, Luisa, Lainey, Jaden, and Annie discuss their experiences conducting YPAR during the pandemic and the subject of knowledge dissemination.
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Citation:
Ross, Madeleine. ““Now that we were conducting the research, it felt more like power”: On Community and Conducting YPAR During and About the COVID-19 Pandemic - A Conversation between Maddy Ross and Jaden McGregor, Luisa Gonzalez, Annie Silva, Lainey Rios, and Valeria Pineda (Part Two).” Produced by Rubén Gaztambide-Fernández and Sarah Switzer at The Youth Research Lab. The WhyPAR Podcast. October 4, 2021. Podcast, MP3 audio, https://youthresearchlab.org/whypar
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Host: Welcome to The WhyPAR podcast, a project of the Youth Research Lab at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.
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Host: In the WhyPAR podcast, youth participatory action research practitioners discuss the ethical dimensions of conducting YPAR. In our podcast, we explore issues of co-leading YPAR projects, building relationships, power dynamics, and sharing our work together. The Youth Research Lab is located in Toronto on the traditional territories of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River.
Jaden: So what we wanted to do is kind of look at people like us and see how they're being affected, because a lot of the research that we found, focused on the deficit and I guess the negative ways, not how people were being risen up and, how they've succeeded in a time like this, but how they're being brought down.
Host: Welcome everyone! My name is Maddy, and I’m a co-host of the WhyPAR Podcast. I’m a PAR practitioner and currently a research assistant here at the Youth Research Lab.
This episode closes our two-part series with five youth researchers who were part of the Youth Solidarities Project at the Youth Research Lab. In this episode, Valeria, Luisa, Lainey, Jaden, and Annie share about their experience conducting a YPAR project during and about the COVID-19 pandemic to understand the experiences of their Indigenous and Latinx peers in what is known as the Greater Toronto Area.
They reflect on the challenges of translating the embodied and collaborative experience of YPAR into a digital space, and how the process of storytelling and building community in the project was itself a coping mechanism for them to remain strong amidst the isolation of the lockdown. We also discuss the values that they bring to this work including the crucial role of authenticity, and the rewarding experience of disseminating their research in both community and academic environments.
This conversation was recorded over Zoom.
And with that, let’s jump in!
Host: I’m wondering if you can tell me a little but about the work that you’re doing right now.
Jaden: I can say a little bit about it. So one thing that we wanted to look at, because in the initial stages of trying to figure out what we wanted to focus on is, lack of representation for Indigenous and Latinx youth and how they are being affected by COVID-19. So what we wanted to do is kind of look at people like us and see how they're being affected, because a lot of the research that we found, focused on the deficit and I guess the negative ways, not how people were being risen up and, how they've succeeded in a time like this, but how they're being brought down. It's important of course, to like look at those aspects, but we want it to look at that, the positives of it. So that's kind of the basis of our research we've been doing.
Luisa: Yeah. After we decided, what we were going to do, we actually recruited people who had been in YPAR night schools, the last couple of years, and we interviewed them on how they were handling the situation. And I think that was really good because it shows that like, YPAR really opens a variety of opportunities for the participants. Like, look at us, you know, in that first meeting, we would have never seen ourselves being the facilitators at some point. But I think that was an amazing, now that we were conducting the research, it felt more like power, you know. We talked about how it is important to have a variety of coping skills during this pandemic. And we determined that being participants of that, research was actually in a way a coping mechanism because it helped you realize that it wasn't just the number of cases, the number of deaths, the number of this cause on the news, there's a lot of just numbers, it's very impersonal. But when we did this research, we got to put a face to the struggles, to the positives and to the negatives. And I think that is very important, especially because we have been in isolation and we don't really see a lot of people or, you know, even what our neighbour is going through.
Valeria: I really like what Luisa said, about how we went about our, project. Also, I remember when we first were starting the project and we were deciding what to do. I remember we had a conversation about how during, throughout the pandemic, like we heard a lot about a lot of, like, we heard people talk about a lot of things, but we didn't really hear from youth. And we didn't really hear what youth had to say about the pandemic and what they were going through or how they were coping with it. I feel like, you know, obviously youth aren't as heard sometimes and we wanted to like, kind of be those people to, to speak on the, on youth and interview other youth and, and see how they are doing during the pandemic. And we felt, I felt it was very important, to do that. And I feel like it's something that should be done more.
Host: So I want to ask, what values you bring to this work and what values you embody while you’re doing participatory action research?
Valeria: For me, I feel like what I appreciate about YPAR and, about the work we did was like inclusiveness. Like we, like we talked about earlier, like we didn't really see any, programs or anything that, you know, was dedicated to Latinx people in Toronto. So I feel like, I mean, considering I study social work, I, I, I'm all for inclusiveness. I feel like we kind of lack that sometimes, you know, some communities are left out. So I feel like when we, when I began YPAR and I started to get to know the YPAR projects and, participated myself, I feel like inclusiveness was something that was very important to me.
Luisa: That was, like Valeria said, that has also been very important to me. My parents don't have higher education and I think seeing like Rubén and it's, it was he's, you know, he's, he was like funny. And he was, he felt like in a way, like, you know, like the uncle and, to me seeing that he was, had a PhD, he's actually a professor at OISE. I knew those people existed, but it didn't click, you know, it just didn't click. And I think that representation is important because of those reasons. You don't realize that you need it until maybe you see it.
Jaden: I like to look at YPAR as a family. And I think one thing that I took personally from it, from an Indigenous perspective is community. And I think one thing you wanted to focus on in our research and just like getting to know each other and through the whole process of it all is building this community, kind of connecting with one another and being a support structure. That was a part of our research. We've wanted to build a community through that. So people could have that support in a time like this.
Annie: Yeah. And I think, you know, cause we're all going through, different, stages in our lives and different troubles, that it was so important to have, empathy, especially when talking to other, you know, the people that we interviewed because sometimes people put a front to relate to others. But during these times, you know, it was really hard, to, to put a front because, I think that a lot of people didn't have the opportunity to talk, talk about what they were going through. Cause everyone was just inside. And if, sometimes, some people don't have a very good, you know, relationship with their parents or their siblings, like within their families. So, the fact that they had this opportunity to open up and I think most of them have felt very comfortable just to talk about it because at the end, you know, they expressed that this was even a coping mechanism. It was very important for us as researchers to, you know respect that, and be empathetic towards it and have them have their space to be able to talk it out.
Valeria: I wanted to touch on what Jaden said about community. I felt it was so important for well, I'm not speaking for the whole Latinx community, but for me, and I know for others, I felt like it was so impactful to, you know, connect with, people, part of the Indigenous community because we're all immigrants or kids of immigrants, and a lot of immigrants when they come to Canada, they don't understand or know about Indigenous people and the history of colonization. And I feel like it's so important to, to know about that. Especially because we're visitors on their land. So it made me think a lot about like all the positive impacts and different ways Indigenous people and newcomers can connect with each other. So I felt it was really nice and like, I just really appreciated learning about the real history of Canada and connecting with Elders and part, people, part of the Indigenous community. I really appreciated that. And I feel like it impacted me like for the rest of my life.
Host: So I want to ask you about the role of authenticity, in your involvement in PAR, cause I hear you saying that you felt like you could be your authentic self in this space, but also that the relationships you had with each other and with the facilitators fostered authenticity. Yeah, what, what does authenticity look like in these spaces?
Annie: I think in my opinion, authenticity would be, especially when I'm talking about like a teacher figure, because they were also like our teachers or our mentors, is like genuinely being interested in what they're sharing with us or teaching with us. Because I know I had a lot of teachers at my school that, my high school that they were kind of just want to get it over with. So put out all the information and then, you know, they had to say something like, ‘Oh, if you need any help, you know, come at lunch or come after school’ and you would, and it'd be like, the, the idea that if I didn't understand the topic, that it, it was a bad thing, and they would just give a brief explanation. And with that, I would understand everything like automatically, it was just a repeating of what they said before. But if, you know, you had a concern or you didn't understand the topic, or you just wanted to say your thoughts about anything, it was so free and, you didn't really feel judged or anything. You, you felt like you were contributing to the discussion that we had and they supported that 100%. So that's what I, I felt like they were very authentic in that sense. Yeah.
Jaden: One thing for me personally, that I kind of took away from it is, a lot of the stuff we did kind of forced you to kind of be more authentic and kind of show your true colours and who you are as a person, kind of how you perceive the research we're doing, what we're kind of learning. That's one thing I really liked because I kind of pushed myself forward and be more open and kind of express what I'm thinking. And I think that one thing that YPAR kind of does, like get that authentic side of people's perspectives and experiences.
Host: You, you talk about that almost as if it was a challenge. Were there other challenges that you experienced in the project or in the projects that you worked on? And how did you overcome those challenges?
Luisa: For me, I think it was, for the presentation we did at Baltimore. I think the biggest challenge was not being able to think that you could do it. It was, it sounds very big and I was just in Grade 12, it was this huge conference and there were a lot of important people and it was, I think it was hard to imagine how you would fit into that environment.
Annie: When, if we're talking about like challenges, talking about like the, the project that we just finished as a group. I think it was, you know, Zoom was a big challenge. I think it still continues to be, less than before, but, as well as, you know, coordinating what each person would do and what would we even do? Like, like even in the beginning, like, what are we even going to do? So even like, just challenges of thinking about what we would do in the beginning. But at the end, you know, we ended up picking something more, close to us, which I think was, a really good thing. Cause I think we, even us as researchers, we got a lot out of it, especially, the stories of other people. And I think it made us think a lot about, you know, our situations individually as well, which are also very challenging at this point.
Valeria: I, I kind of want to back what, Annie was saying. I was thinking that, that that was one of the challenges even like learning to do research ourselves, like as the youth part of the program and also getting used to the role of like youth researchers. I feel like, it's not very common, like I guess in society, I don't know. I felt like it was kind of interesting and different. So getting used to that and learning different research method, methods, and also like, like Annie said, choosing topics for me was also very difficult because I want to be so inclusive and try to reach out to, or, or have participants from different areas and everything. But, I guess I had to learn that it's not that easy. But that's exactly why I feel like YPAR is so important and, and projects like these that have a positive impact on youth and represent youth are, are very necessary, in Toronto. Because, you know, I feel like there's a lot of people that could, could benefit from this. Yeah.
Host: What was the transition like from doing in-person PAR in a classroom setting to an online setting like Zoom? We know that PAR is so hands-on and collaborative. How did you begin to shape the online space and figure out different ways of working together?
Lainey: So for, I think it was me and Valeria, the second year we did YPAR we were youth mentors. So we were actually got to be part of the team and help the instructors kind of lead the class. And every Friday we had Zoom calls regardless because we couldn’t all get together pre-pandemic. So I think that kind of helped us to be familiar with Zoom already, like the platform. And then since Luisa, Jaden and Annie had already kind of been doing a little bit of Zoom through school and when the pandemic hit, I think we were all pretty familiar with the platform. So in terms of using Zoom, it wasn't that hard though. Anything was hard that was hard about it was our actually doing our research and engaging people. I remembered Rubén got somebody to come in and talk to us about her experience of doing, gathering research through Zoom and doing like focus groups or big Zoom calls, kind of, she gave me some pointers of how to engage people, because the big thing about YPAR is engaging the audience and, you know, making everyone feel like they're part of it. So I think it took a little bit of time for us to actually think about, okay, how many people can we do on a Zoom call without it getting like awkward or without people getting uncomfortable because some of them didn't know each other. And the other thing was gender. Should we keep it a balance? Should we do, just boys in one call, or girls on one call? You gotta think about a lot of things just to make sure it flows really well. And you have to learn when to step in if there's like this awkward silence, should I step in? Are they thinking? I begin to say something or is it just going to be silent? So it definitely took a little bit of time, but I think we did pretty well.
Valeria: Yeah. Like Lainey said, we had been using Zoom from before. But I feel like for the participants and stuff, it was kind of hard because I feel like YPAR was something for the most part people look forward to because it was so interactive and very genuine. And the environment was very positive because we ate together and we talked before we even started anything. And, I feel like that was nice. It was kind of relaxing. So I feel like when it was online, like all the other stuff was taking away from us. So I guess we had to like, find a way to continue to create that positive space and try to, you know, enjoy it as much as we could. So we did continue doing like the Rose and the Thorn. So obviously that was helpful because that's something everybody, enjoyed. But it was kinda difficult and different. Like it did make me miss seeing everybody and being in a group and everything. And like Lainey said, getting used to, you know, awkward silences and, things like that. It was, it was kinda difficult, but we, we did it.
Host: What are some of the ways that you know a project is successful when you’re doing it, despite encountering those challenges, what do you experience that lets you know it’s working or that you’re doing something that’s meaningful?
Jaden: I think the simplest thing is when people start to ask questions and then become more engaged, you can kind of tell that people want to hear what you're saying. And kind of want to understand research and also what you have, purpose and kind of the background behind it. I would say that's the basis of it. More engagement equals more interest. And I think that's when you've kind of struck, something that you should dig deeper into.
Lainey: Yeah. Kind of what Jaden said, like when people come back or when they want to talk to you after you've talked about your presentation. I remember in Baltimore, some people came up to us and asked if they could have our email. I was like, my email? And they were like, ‘Yeah, in case I have any questions after. We really liked your presentation.’ It’s just little things like that. And in terms of participants, those participants that reach out to the facilitators, I assume to be part of that program again, because it obviously brought them something, they enjoyed it.
Valeria: And for me, especially for this last project we did, about the impacts of COVID. I feel like when we were doing the work, I really enjoyed it and I knew, and I know my group knew that what we were doing was important and useful and we like wrote an article on it and everything. But the back of my head, I was thinking, you know, who's really going to read this or who's going to find this and stuff, but we got the opportunity to present it, not that long ago to, like a pretty big group. And I feel like when I presented it out loud and I spoke about the project out loud, I realized how good it was. Like I was really proud of us. And also all the feedback we got, it just made me realize how important the work we did was and like how it should be spoken about more and, and people were commenting on how the information we had it should, it should be, talked about more and like we should share it more. And it made me realize like, that's actually true. Like we did that work and you know, where, where youth speaking for other Latinx and Indigenous youth. And I feel like, yeah, just presenting it and hearing feedback from people made me realize, you know, the work we do is actually really good and, and useful.
Host: So it sounds like sometimes the impact of your work and the outcomes sort of reveal themselves once you actually begin sharing the information and the stuff you’ve worked on. I want to ask about how your group decides about that dissemination process. How do you decide what to do with the information and stories you’ve collected and how do you decide who to share them with?
Lainey: So when we just did this project, the COVID project, I think it was kind of a little bit of a long process until we decided how we wanted to present our work. We kind of, we all looked at the transcripts. The, the recordings of the focus groups multiple times, came back together, discussed it. I want to say we did it several times. Just back and forth, and collecting these main themes until we kind of decided how we wanted to present it. I think from the very beginning, Jaden had brought up storytelling. That was a really big thing. He brought up and we kinda, I think we knew we wanted to do it, but we left it for a bit and we circled back to it. And once we decided that storytelling, that's why me, Luisa and Annie created our own story. So I don't think there's an exact process of how we come up to the end goal. It just kind of happens a lot of discussions. And then in terms of where we present, Kaitlind kind of does a good job of telling us what's coming up, what conferences. And then if we want to participate in it, she will submit a proposal. If we get accepted, she lets us know and whoever wants to participate can feel free to do it.
Host: So I'm going to ask a follow up question to that. You talked about presenting at conferences and different opportunities, more in the academic sphere. What was it like coming into that sort of setting in the university and talking about your work?
Valeria: Someone mentioned, something about empowering and I feel like that's how it kind of felt, going into the university and presenting, because I feel like even when you tell, you know, family members or friends like about this work, they, I feel like they might think like it's more for adults, but it was pretty empowering being able to present it and being the presenters and the facilitators, because I, I felt like, you know, I had a voice and I worked on this project and it, it's a project that can impact the community positively, you know, it can teach people things. So, yeah, going to present, at the conferences was pretty, pretty empowering and impactful for me.
Luisa: For me as well. I think it's very empowering. And it makes you realize how there is value to the work that we are doing. And it feels like a long process. No, for all of the project, it has felt like there's a lot of steps, but when you do those presentations, it really, and it comes all together. Obviously, it doesn't always go perfectly as you've planned it, but even those mistakes are like, things that you didn't expect. It all just adds up really nicely and makes you realize how important, what, is it is what we're doing.
Jaden: For me after presenting, I usually have a sense of like, wow. I kind of see the, once I see how other people kind of perceive the presentation and all this stuff we've looked at, it kind of changes my perspective and I kind of look at it and in the sense of like, wow, this is really something inspiring. It's really unique and interesting. And it really is something that you don't see a lot. And that's something I really like about it. So it's, it's always a good surprise, I guess, in the end. Inspiring.
Annie: Yeah. I, before presenting, I remember like the first, one that I did for the night school, it was a feeling of, I don't know, I just felt that the, the research that we had done and everything we had put it in, put in the work, I didn't think that people would be interested in it or it would be such a relevant thing. So both, but when I saw, you know, like all the people show up and I was presenting everything that we put in the work and we did everything, yeah, just like everyone said, it felt very empowering. And just how the little things that you do, just everything just comes to an end and you can really present your work and people will do do care about it at the end. They're very interested in what you do. So that at the end, it's kind of like a relief of that, you know, my work wasn't just like every other, let's say in high school, like you do a project, you do the research and it's, it's, determined by a mark. But it's so subjective because one teacher can give you one mark and the other two can give you another. But instead, this work was done and the feedback that you got either positive or negative, it was a way for you to build up on that and make you really reflect. And it wasn't based on a grade. It was mostly based on how, I guess, how, how much work you... at this point, I think I, if I think back on it, the work that I did, I saw it more as a, like a, like myself giving myself a grade, because that way I saw if it was good or bad according to how, people were talking about it. And obviously when you put that much work into it, I don't think it was, it would ever be a bad grade or bad experience because, in the end, you know, everything went according to your plan. But as well as Luisa said, all the little things that may have not gone, it all made the difference to show that our work really does matter. Yeah.
Host: Yeah. It reminds us about the importance of trusting the process because you feel accomplished at the end regardless. What are some of the other ways that you’ve shared your work in the community?
Jaden: In our most recent project... one of the, we made two kind of places to disseminate it. As Lainey said, there was a story. And, another thing that we worked on is a website that we wanted to create a community space. So a place a that Indigenous and Latinx could come and share their artwork in any form, photography, music, painting, and just a place that can kind of in a virtual sense, kind of come together. Cause that's kind of hard to do with COVID. You can't gather in a group. So having this virtual space, almost like a Community Centre, they come together and talk, yourself and how you're dealing with, it is one of the things we did.
Host: What is the future of YPAR?
Lainey: I personally think there's a lot of potential on YPAR for the future, especially with this generation. I think the strong generations have very strong and strong opinions that are different than what past generations have thought about. So I think it's important to give youth the voice they need to be heard because I think eventually they'll do it themselves, they’ll take action themselves. So if we can just kind of give them that platform, that'd be great. I think it’d do wonderful things in society and everything. In terms of where I want it to go, I think I want there to be YPAR everywhere. I want every student in TDSB or any school district to get to experience it at least once. I think it changes a lot. I think it changes how you look at yourself because it’s not just being graded, it’s not just a grade. And if you get a bad grade, you know, you kind of feel bad about it. You feel like you're worth less I think. So in this program, it's not like that. I think it, it gives you more worth. You feel like you're, you know, you're bringing something to the table even though you're at such a young age. So I really hope that there’s more people finding out about it. You know, more teachers can decide to take that step forward and break the regular standards of classroom settings and bring YPAR into their schools.
Jaden: I completely agree with Lainey, I think it needs to be bigger and just more people getting used to it and kind of incorporating it in our everyday lives, because youth have an interesting and unique voice that isn't really heard these days. A lot of older people are making the decisions that affect us, and it's important to look at new and fresh perspectives. And also it gives, YPAR just gives you tools and strategies that can help you and your life overall. I know I’ve definitely got stuff out of this that will help with the rest of my life. So I think that it needs to be everywhere. And just being incorporated more to allow young people to be heard more. I think.
Luisa: I think it's a wonderful experience, and like Jaden and Lainey said, there has to be more of it. It has to be offered in a lot of places and for more students who maybe would have benefited from this opportunity, but they didn't even know about it. And I think it's important for aspects of YPAR to slowly be brought into like the general school system, as that can benefit sometimes students that don't seem to even enjoy school.
Annie: Yeah, I definitely think it should be offered at more places than it is now. It was a very different learning experience that I think a lot more people will benefit from it. And overall, I think it will grow soon because I do see as many of us do see it, potential for it to be bigger and better. And I overall really enjoyed it. And I think a lot more people and more students will too.
Host: Thank you so much for joining us today and sharing this knowledge. Before we wrap up this episode, I wanted to ask if there's anything else you want to share with our listeners related to YPAR or doing this work in the community or in schools?
Luisa: That if maybe this is the way, the first time that they're hearing about this, to do more research on it, spread the word and make sure that if you didn't get the opportunity to participate, that someone close to you can have the opportunity to participate.
Annie: I think one last thing that I like to say is that it was a big challenge for us, I think, to get used to such a different environment that we had, especially during COVID-19 and talking a little bit about the project that we finalized, I think it was really great working with everyone and getting the experience of being a researcher one more time. And the fact that you know, YPAR really gave me and gave all of us the opportunity to do so was really great because I know a lot of people don't get to do this. And even if it doesn't lead to anything after this, hopefully it does, but I just want to say that it really is a good opportunity and a good experience to really get out of your comfort zone and learn new things and become a leader and learn new skills, which is always great. And it really has helped me with all of that.
Host: Well, thank you so much, Luisa, Annie, Jaden, Valeria and Lainey for joining us today and sharing this important insight and knowledge with our listeners. I know that folks are going to take so much away from everything you've shared and really appreciative of you taking the time to be with us today.
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Host: Thank you so much for joining us on this episode of the WhyPAR Podcast. I’m struck by the youth researchers’ reflections about the importance and value of opportunities for youth to be heard through participatory action research. I feel inspired by the way their recent project not only amplified youth voices and supported resiliency during the pandemic, but also helped them to individually build confidence and solidarity across communities of Indigenous and Latinx youth living in T’karonto. Stay tuned for our next episode and see you then!
DETAILS
These episodes are a two-part series featuring conversations between the WhyPAR Podcast’s new co-host, Maddy Ross and five youth researchers: Valeria Pineda, Lainey Rios, Luisa Gonzalez, Jaden McGregor, and Annie Silva.
In Part One, the five youth researchers reflect on their experiences in a school-based YPAR project, Youth Solidarities Across Boundaries (YSAB), a collaboration between the Urban Indigenous Education Centre (UIEC) of the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and the Youth Research Lab to convene Latinx and Indigenous high school students in T’karonto to understand and address the challenges youth face in schools.
In Part Two, the five youth researchers discuss their most recent YPAR project conducted in the summer of 2020 that explored the experiences of Indigenous and Latinx youth living in T’karonto during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Valeria Pineda (she/her)
I am 21 years old and I recently graduated from a Social Service Worker program for Immigrants and Refugees, and I am currently working as a Youth Support Worker at a non-profit organization. I was born in Mexico and migrated to Canada with my family at a young age and have grown up in Toronto ever since. My experience being raised as a Mexican immigrant has definitely influenced my choice to work with marginalized communities. I was able to use my desire to work in social justice, research and community with the YPAR group for Indigenous and Latinx students.
Lainey Rios
My name is Lainey Rios. I am 18 years old and identify as Latinx as my family originates from Mexico. I love to learn, spend time with family, and enjoy being involved in my community or in other programs, like YPAR. I am in my second year of the biological science program at the University of Guelph. I am currently working towards achieving high grades, expanding my knowledge in the science field and completing my undergraduate degree. I enjoy studying the sciences because it relates to everyday life and helps build my understanding of the world we live in. I have been working with YPAR for 3 years now and have really enjoyed my time with the program. Through YPAR I have learned many things through the research projects I've participated in, such as how much I love being part of research.
Luisa Gonzalez
My name is Luisa Karime Gonzalez, I am 19 years old, my pronouns are she/her. I identify with the LatinX community as my parents are both from Guatemala. Currently I am in my second year at Ryerson University obtaining a Bachelor of Social Work. I am very grateful for the opportunities of participating in multiple YPAR projects
Jaden McGregor
Hello Aniin my English name is Jaden Mcgregor and my Spirit name is Wasseyaa giiwe nibin which translates to light of the late summer. I was born in Toronto but my ancestors come from Manitoulin Island which is a few hours north of Toronto in Lake Huron. I’m also from The Island Nation Of Jamaica and therefore identify as Afro-Indigenous. Currently, I study at the University of Waterloo in the Geography and Aviation program which combines pilot training and an environmental studies degree. In my free time, I am primarily a freelance photographer who focuses on portrait landscape and street photography. Working with YPAR has been an amazing opportunity that has strengthened my research skills as well as my curiosity. I want to thank everyone who I have worked with for their passion and their curiosity. Miigwech
Annie Silva
My name is Annie Melisa Silva Borda, I am 19 years old. I identify as a Latinx, born in Colombia and then moved to Canada a couple years later. This past year I finished my first year at the University of Toronto in the Arts and Science Faculty. I enjoyed it very much, I learned a lot of new things and accomplished another goal of mine. I love playing sports, learning and being part of making a change. Having the chance to share our project and talk about it in depth has been an amazing experience and I’m glad we could shine a light on people's different experiences during COVID-19.
This episode was hosted and directed by Madeleine Ross, produced by Rubén Gaztambide-Fernández and Sarah Switzer, and supported by Youth Research Lab Assistant Naima Raza.
REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING
Luisa Karime Gonzalez, Jaden McGregor, Lida Valeria Pineda Flores, Lainey Rios, Annie Silva, Kaitlind Peters, Rubén Gaztambide-Fernandez, Pedro Morán Bonilla, and Michael Carlson. “Indigenous and Latinx Youth Navigating the COVID-19 Pandemic.” in:cite journal 4 (2021): 64–97. https://doi.org/10.33137/incite.4.37162.
Michael Carlson. “Navigating COVID-19: A Story of Resilience. Youtube Video, 7:20. August 10, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r20B86CRm90
