Enrichment 2 Empowerment (E2E) is a youth-centered, youth-led program that provides connection and collaboration to understand and address violence in New Orleans. For ages 14 to 19, this year-long community-engaged program combines sociopolitical development (SPD) Positive Youth Development (PYD) and youth participatory action research (YPAR) methods to enhance and uplift youth insight and voice in advocating for resources that will improve their lives and reduce their exposure to violence.
Through guest speakers, workshops, and excursions, participants:
- Tell community stories through photography, art, and other visual, written, or oral narrative expressions
- Develop research skills such as investigative interviewing and survey design
- Connect and learn from activists, government officials, and more
As part of the YPAR program, E2E participants defined their own research goals as “investigate community stories of violence in New Orleans and create a project and action plan that informs the public about findings and convinces them to care.” Arts-based research methods helped them integrate various forms of expression as a means of inquiry to explore, understand, and communicate complex human experiences. This made information accessible to youth and provided an opportunity to connect ideas found in research and relate them back to reality.
E2E is a collaboration among the Center For Youth Equity in the Violence Prevention Institute at Tulane University and funded by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention as a National Center of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention (YVPC). This program was rooted in community and was made possible by the numerous organizations that lent their time, resources, and expertise to E2E youth.
Summer 2023
To create a foundation of knowledge for their project, 23 participants attended a four-week youth participatory action research (YPAR) academy, exploring their community to learn more about the history of New Orleans and interacting with guest speakers to better understand some of the challenges within the city as well as the way those challenges are being met.
They engaged in empowering opportunities, such as youth-led conversations and social-emotional learning, and program facilitators involved the youth in decision-making and had them create their own research question. Through mutual respect, having fun, and being open to new learning opportunities, this cohort of youth were able to not only create a research question that addresses violence in the city but a bond with each other that we hope continues to grow.
Fall 2023
Twenty youth continued throughout the fall for 11 interactive Saturday Sessions to conduct research based upon the question developed in the summer and formulate a social action campaign. They interviewed community members about safety, mental health, personal experience, post-Hurricane Katrina changes in New Orleans, education and leadership, and experiences with violence. With the consent of those interviewed, this research was edited into a documentary titled “This Is New Orleans: Stories of Truth and Hope.”
Spring 2024
After an initial screening of the documentary and the interviews, fifteen youth analyzed themes, revised the documentary, developed an ask for policymakers, and planned the launch of a social change campaign, encouraging more activities and resources for New Orleans youth.
This is New Orleans: Stories of Truth and Hope
E2E presented two showings of “This is New Orleans: Stories of Truth and Hope” to about 125 people, including family, friends, and mentors of the participants as well as city leaders and community organization representatives. After the screening, the youth hosted Q&A panel discussions and asked that attendees complete a survey.
From that survey, the following resources were identified:
- Programs where kids are placed based on skill & need
- Safe spaces for youth to express themselves
- Functional libraries
- NORD Centers open on Sundays
- Avenues that spotlight youth achievements
- Community centers with opportunities to learn things outside of New Orleans (career, rec, travel)
- Conflict resolution skills & training
- Free therapy
- Funding
- Good paying jobs
Also, according to the survey, 83% said that the documentary represented their lived experience in New Orleans, elaborating with the following:
- “Boys trying to be down”
- What happens inside school & home
- What happens surrounding mental health
- Gun violence
- Dysfunctional family representation
The E2E cohort has gained sociopolitical education and research skills to shift the narrative around New Orleans youth, revealing the need for more activities and resources. Looking ahead, E2E has formed a collaboration with the Big Easy Budget Coalition, asking for a $20 million investment in youth in upcoming New Orleans budget hearings and meetings with council members on their research findings as further advocacy. Youth have also assisted younger New Orleans Youth in their YPAR projects offering expertise from their experience and empowering younger New Orleanians to make change on issues they find in the city.
The E2E program will expand the reach of their documentary screenings to include New Orleans East and the Westbank to foster conversation and change. It will also continue leveraging opportunities to share experiences and continue the advocacy around youth needs and youth violence prevention.
E2E Slideshow by Violence Prevention Institute
