I am from a fantasy, where Freire quotes become reality

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to show the viewpoint of two youth artists, researchers and activists who use spoken word and graphic arts to represent their research. Design/methodology/approach As a bilingual Spanish-speaking Latina and a young Black woman, the authors use artistic expression as a way to voice themselves and to give voice to the work they do as members of two youth research collectives. As individuals, they are members of two different youth participatory action research groups with different goals and ways of making sense of the world. But these groups have also come together to collaborate on issues of shared importance. Findings As youth artist-activists, the authors’ work could stand on its own, but they believe that they are stronger together. They have created a conversation of images and voices that represent the strength they have when they can be themselves. They work together to make a world one deserves to live in. Originality/value The authors’ work originates from within and is influenced by their experiences in the world, by the communities surrounding them, by those who love them, by those who have come before them and by the challenges that are thrown at them. They believe that their words and images have value because they do.