Who Are We?
YoUthROC is a community and university-connected youth research team that supports the growth of Youth-led Participatory Action Research (YPAR) and is committed to youth, kinship, and social action, including with racial justice in education.
YoUthROC centers Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) youth and other marginalized communities. YoUthROC is an affiliate program to the University of Minnesota’s Robert J. Jones Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC) in North Minneapolis.
Meet and interact with the team on our Padlet and Bitmoji classroom!
Past and Present Partnerships
At YoUthROC, we view our community partnerships as a central component to our growth and development, and also as a manifestation of our commitment to reciprocity and being in community. Since our first project starting in 2018, we have:
Collaborated with YPAR teams in Minnesota, the U.S., and Canada, such as Faribault High School's Latinx/Somali YPAR team.
Teamed with community organizations like Appetite for Change out of North Minneapolis.
Worked with Dr. Anita Chikkatur's (Carleton College) Educational Studies Senior Seminar about youth organizing and activism. During this partnership, we created youth-focused lesson plans and invited community members onto our team as "Curriculum Change Fellows."
Organized with Education for Liberation Minnesota (EdLibMN) through our adult co-conspirators and Advisory Vision Board members.
In addition, our presence at the University of Minnesota’s Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC) building allows us to work together in a physical space and participate in community functions. Our members joined UROC for their annual research agenda planning meetings and provided a youth voice and insider's perspective for the direction of the current research agenda.
We expressly pride our relations with youth/organizations and take our partnerships with them as seriously as our institutional ones. Partnering with local community organizations and schools keeps us grounded in our mission to expand BIPOC youth-led Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR). Let us know if you'd like to join in a partnership!