In Summer 2024, The Parents’ Climate Community conducted two Photovoice trainings in Austin, in partnership with researchers from The University of Texas’s Frontline Community Partnerships for Climate Justice.
We’re excited to announce that the training videos are now live on our YouTube channel for learners to access both here in Austin and beyond!
The training, which provides an orientation to Photovoice, is broken down into 5 short videos, to offer an accessible, bite-sized approach for busy caregivers and community organizers.
You can read more about UT graduate student Sergio Morales, who is the voice and vision behind these workshops and training videos, in this profile.
As Sergio notes, Photovoice harnesses the power of visuals and storytelling to center youth voices and leadership. More generally, community members of any age can use this tool to foreground their own lived experiences, promote dialogue across diverse stakeholders, and spark change.
These training videos can also be used in more informal ways. For instance, they can be a springboard for household or homeschool conversations and explorations with your kids about environmental justice and community place-making. As an example, my 9 yo and I watched the video on photography techniques, then took photos of an urban creek in our neighborhood, which is frequently filled with trash washed downstream. The creek then became not only a physical site where we could clamber among rocks and observe tiny frogs, but also a microcosm of sorts for discussing topics like affordability, housing, impervious cover, and flooding.
Our Photovoice training videos are intended as the start of a conversation. We invite you to reach out to let us know how you are planning to use the videos, to troubleshoot questions, and/or to share about any youth-centered or intergenerational Photovoice project you are embarking on: hello [at] parentsclimatecommunity [dot] org