Youth Work is Identity

     I really liked this week's reading. It focused on teachers/educators working closely with Black and Latinos. Educators implemented hip-hop as a way to interest youth and engage them in literacy. Through performing, youth were able to find their full potential and more importantly their identity. It stood out to me, how authentic educators were, they believed authenticity has been crucial to them in pedagogy. Racism, identity and racial identity are very controversial topics and most people chose not to speak about, however it is important to make kids and youth aware in school regarding who they are and how they should handle these topics in order to prepare them for the future. For instance, the school's curriculum (From Priya's and Shirley's school) were not centered on racism, yet students chose to center their writing in self identification and felt more comfortable on it as they were working together. 

Exploring the question "Whom am I?" can be one of the most exciting features of adolescence as well as difficult and confusing because they are trying to figure out who they are. Youth build their personal identity based on messages they receive from others about who they are in the present and who they should become in the future. For instance, seeing how other teens "like them" act in school or are represented in popular media can also shape how youth see themselves that is why it is important to know who their friends are because that can impact their development. 

Identity plays a huge role on academic performance and how youth function on their day-today life. While youth are figuring out their personal identity, they are also developing an understanding of themselves in relation to different social groups. Many youths spend time thinking about what it means for them to be a member of a particular racial or ethnic group. This may be especially relevant for youth of color. "White teachers often are particularly afraid to name their own positionality. Identity , including whiteness is not absolute or fixed; rather, identity is always changing and evolving." This quote from Priya really caught my attention, even white teachers have a hard time dealing with race and identity because they can be seen as racist and most people in society have taboo regarding this kind of topics.