This is the real me

Abstract

In this paper, we describe the ongoing collaboration in community informatics (CI) between the University of Illinois and Paseo Boricua, a neighborhood in Chicago. We illustrate the nature of the partnership by presenting an early set of findings from one specific study that grew from the partnership: a qualitative CI study that investigated the community-based health campaign led by youth on Paseo Boricua. Study findings deal with knowledge that sits at the intersection of youth development, community health promotion, and digital media literacy, and how that knowledge was discovered, created, and disseminated. In addition, we discuss study issues significant for the field of CI research. This paper is especially relevant for those whose research, teaching, and professional practice involves engagement with marginalized communities, that is, those who are often excluded from scholarly endeavors and meaningful social interaction in academia.