Aboriginal youth, hip hop, and the right to the city: a participatory action research project

Abstract

This thesis sets out to explore the extent to which health inequities experienced by Aboriginal youth living in Winnipeg are mediated by the urban environment. Between 2010 and 2011, Aboriginal youth associated with the GAPAYAC undertook a participatory action research process to create stories about the geography of health inequity, to share their ideas for positive change, and to support their social and political aspirations towards their right to a healthy city. The youth researchers (N=8) used participatory hip hop techniques involving visual art, photography, spoken word, music, and dance as tools to 'map' health inequities within and across the city. The results revealed several themes that speak to the youth researchers experiences of health inequity as they related to mobility, place, and exclusion. In turn, the youth researchers mobilized their knowledge through art and performances as vehicles for taking action against health inequity.