LGBTQIA+ youth as multicultural educators. Issue 3 (3rd July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dennis, Barbara; Uttamchandani, Suraj; Biery, Spencer; Blauvelt, Aubrie
• Is Part Of: Ethnography and education. Volume 14:Issue 3(2019)
• Page Start: 360
• Page End: 376
• Publication Date: 2019-07-03
• Subjects: LGBT -- Queer educators -- youth adult binary -- youth educators; Educational anthropology -- Periodicals; Ethnology -- Research -- Periodicals; 306.43
• DOI: 10.1080/17457823.2019.1578983
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1745-7823

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Multicultural education generally takes place as culturally competent adults prepare other adults to work with a variety of student youth. In this paper, we present an alternative that disrupts the pattern of adults teaching about youth. Our alternative has youth educating adults in ways that centre youth's experiences and insights with schooling. We discuss the educative efforts of Chroma, a youth community for LGBTQIA+ and allied youth aged 12–20. First, we tell the story of Chroma's educative efforts. Then, we discuss our methodology. Next, we discuss three key sets of insights about their educative efforts – anchoring expertise, meeting adult learners halfway, and barriers to learning. We raise questions inspired by these findings. At last, we conclude with a deconstruction of the adult–youth binary in multicultural education and ethnographic research.