The Youth Design and Research Collective (YDRC) was established in early 2011 to research the everyday interests and concerns of young people growing up in digital environments. Members of the YDRC participated in seven online research and ethics modules, a project orientation, six research and planning workshops, a project cogitation, and countless emails, chats, postings, and txts.
The following bios are public statements written by each youth co-researcher to describe themselves and to summarize their own motivations for participating in the project as well as what they personally gained from their participation. The portraits accompanying each bio were developed during our second research and planning workshop.
These are the members of the YDRC as described by themselves, with the age at which they began the project added next to their self-chosen names:
❊ ❊ ❊ ❊
MY NAME IS ASMAOU [16] and I am from Togo. I will be studying biology at SUNY New Paltz in the fall, and I love to listen to music. I wanted to participate in this research because it sounded interesting. It was research about youth and the internet. So, being a young person that uses the internet pretty much every day, I was so curious to know more beyond just a computer and my invisible internet. I though it was going to be interesting, and there was a lot to learn from this research. I learned about how the internet works, I also learned that whatever is being put in the internet is never fully deleted and some websites, such as Facebook, use our info to make money. – Asmaou 7/9/11
❊ ❊ ❊ ❊
I AM KAITLIN [15], 16 years young and elated to be a part of this project. Like most, I enjoy socializing, in person and online. I have become so involved in the Internet over the years that sometimes I lose count of my interactions with it. As the Internet evolves, I find new reasons and sites that I convince myself that I need, whether it’s a blog site for my poetry or a social networking site that allows me to be the Kaitlin few rarely see. The Internet, to me is attractive and addictive. Often times, it seems as though I can’t function properly without it. So when I was offered an opportunity to work with the Internet and possibly find an answer to why I’m so in love with it, I took the chance and ran away with it. — Kaitlin 5/20/11
❊ ❊ ❊ ❊
HI, MY NAME IS ROSE [18]. I am from Haiti and I am graduating high school this year. I want to go to college to become a pediatric nurse. What I like to do on the Internet is go on Facebook, spend time chatting with my friends, shopping for clothes, communicating with others from other countries, and playing games. I also use the Internet to search for information that I need. What I don’t like about the Internet is the pornography, the insults, and the advertisements that give your computer viruses when you click on them. I wanted to participate in this project because I wanted to learn more about what’s behind the Internet. Also, I wanted to learn if my privacy was safe on the Internet. – Rose 7/12/11
❊ ❊ ❊ ❊
I AM SAIF [17] AND I WAS BORN IN BANGLADESH. I moved to the USA at the age of 11. Just like all other people who migrate, I had a tough time with adjusting to a new culture and living a new life. I’ve always been inspired by people around me to try new things, such as making film, music, and acting. I have worked on short films, and recently on a music album which will be released in my home country and world wide on iTunes in September 2011. I’ve always wanted learn more about the Internet and its role on our daily life. When I was offered the opportunity to work with a group of students to explore the concept of Internet, I was really excited. After working on this research project I now know the Internet is the biggest part of my generation. – Saif 8/10/11
❊ ❊ ❊ ❊
MY NAME IS YVONNE [19], I am a 12 grader at Brooklyn International High School. I love poetry and Jamaican reggae. My father is from Senegal, my mom is from Barbados, and I was born in the U.S. I lived in Senegal for 10 years and I also lived in Barbados, but now I just go on vacation there. The internet plays a big role in my life because I have friends in these countries that I can’t see all the time, so the internet helps me communicate with them on Facebook, Gmail, etc. I also use the Internet to entertain myself. For example, I go on YouTube and look for Jamaican reggae because I love their music. I also like to play games on Facebook. I spend more time on the internet than I spend with my dad, therefore I decided to participate in this research so I can learn more about the internet and how to protect myself online. — Yvonne 5/21/11