Co-Constructing Third Space with Asian American and Migrant Youth Through Youth Participatory Action Research

Informed by Third Space theory and Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR), this study was co-constructed with and by high school-aged Asian American and migrant youth who participated in a summer camp program focused on Asian American histories. The findings show that the camp became a powerful and transformative Third Space, an informal and liminal learning environment beyond the walls of school, where youth reclaimed their experiences, reimagined their histories, and affirmed their sense of belonging. The study calls for the co-creation of more Third Spaces with youth through YPAR and other youth-centered, youth-driven approaches where young people can speak their truths, affirm who they are, critically rework their histories, and build connection and solidarity with one another, while being positioned as co-constructors of knowledge, co-researchers, and powerful partners in the collective work of educational equity and justice.