Tools for Changing Policy: Giving Voice to Underserved Communities through Photovoice, Novellas, and teatro juvenil

The San Joaquin Valley of California is comprised of many rural impoverished communities that are often more than 60 percent Hispanic. Traditional methods of community outreach, such as workshops and charrettes typically have very low attendance. The Community and Regional Planning Center at California State University has used three tools that have engaged residents in different ways to discuss the built environment and its relationship to healthy communities. The tools used are Photovoice, Novellas, and teatro juvenil (youth theater). Photovoice is a participatory tool that uses photography and written narrative to bring about social change. The themes were 'What do you like about your community?', 'What needs to be changed?', 'What is healthy in your community?', and 'What is not healthy?' The stories for the novellas were developed by the participants. An introductory session set forth the existing conditions in the community. The teams were to visualize their community twenty years out. One team's story was what would their community be like if the trends continued. The other story was about positive change in the community. The stories were acted out and video taped. The teatro juvenil was written by youth about their community. The play was in two acts: Existing, and Future. Discussions were held to share what priorities need to be set to bring about change. These three tools helped engage residents in talking about their community's health in new ways.