 Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) in Anthropology  Native Anthropology  Training Students in CBPR  Engaging the Cultural Arts in the African American Community  Goal: Developing an Intervention Model  Translating and Connecting the Data with Other (National/International) Communities

 Linking academia to the community  Unlike “helicopter” anthropology  Involvement  Ownership  Empowerment  Social agenda  Request from the community

 “halfie” coined by Abu-Lughod  Personal connection/relationship  Sensitivity  Understanding › Underserved and exploited communities  Teaching moment  Can’t just walk away  Responsibility  Expectations

 Relationships  Indigenous method: › Relational › Respect › Reciprocity  Anthropological field methods

 RCDC and the MWPA  Community request: Document and archive the project for public relations and educational purposes. 1. Cultural significance to the community -> historical value 2. Educational significance to the community 3. Formation of a collective – the transition from a one organization endeavor to a regional and institutional building endeavor  Research question: What is a successful intervention model to positively impact underserved youth through cultural arts participation?

 Cultural heritage  Education  Institution building  Family and Community*

 When: March and April 2010  Participant observation › 5 drumming events: STL, Columbus, Dayton, Cincinatti, Louisville › for a minimum of 40 hours  Focus groups › 2 (Mothers and fathers)  Individual Interviews › 17 (leadership, parents, youth participant, community member)  Group interview › 2 (Elders, dancers)

 Surveys › 70 community audience members › 50 youth participants  Audio and video recording  Group process

 Cultural Heritage/Family and Community  Education/Family and Community  Institution Building/Family and Community

 Cultural Heritage/Family and Community  Education/Family and Community  Institution Building/Family and Community

 RCDC as a standout organization › Leadership: commitment and vision  Ability to carry, translate, and “impose” the vision › Significance of education  apprenticeship › Significance of cultural heritage › Requirement of family involvement

 Community  “Native” position  *Family

 July 2011  Community based research in Suriname  SIUE students worked in teams › Javanese cultural organization and center › Maroon and Indigenous cultural organizations › Afro-Surinamese cultural organization and center

 Same indicators  Additional lessons from Suriname › Significance of cultural identity › Context of multi-ethnicity rather than minority status › Context of class › Negotiating “Native” status  Expectations › Reteaching and reshaping the colonial relationship

 Potential of academia in the community  Reshaping the relationship with academia  Reshaping how we/they think about academia  Respect and empowerment of the community

What I don’t like, for real, when we mess up Male age 17 They [drum gathering] are a lot of fun and I get to meet a lot of new people Female age 14 It keeps me disciplined. It helped me decide where I wanted to go to Female age 18 I get to entertain people Male age 17

We work together as a real drum line Male age 17 I learn how to better myself as a person and a player Female age 15 It makes me want to go to college, so I work hard in school Female age 16

I like playing in front of everyone Male age 17 I am better in math Male age 18 Playing music that makes the fans dance Female age 18 Support and love, that is what we need most Male age 15 They support me by coming to performances and bragging about me Female age 18

Something positive to do and involves parents Male age 43 Love it! Family, friends, and a great cause Female age 60 It’s a great activity to learn how to make music and make people dance, and it can keep more kids’ minds off the street Female age 45

Commitment, focus, cultural pride. Very impressed and proud at what I witnessed. Female age 37 It creates an identity outside of sports Female age 40 Want people to know what the significance of drumming is to the importance of education Female age 72

A chance to see our youth do something positive. Male age 57 Do it, it’s fun Female age 17 You get to experience a part of black culture Male age 20

I would like everyone, especially African Americans to realize what a large part of our heritage this represents Male age 46 It teaches discipline and opens doors and opportunities for children that would not otherwise be available Female age 42