organisation
The Mestizo Arts and Activism Collective (MAA) is a university-community partnership located in the Westside of Salt Lake City, Utah. They are a group of high school students, undergraduate mentors, researchers, university faculty and artists who work collaboratively to create positive change in their communities. Through culturally relevant methods of teaching and learning, they work together to foster an engaging space for high school students to develop community-based leadership skills and create community based research projects that address issues that matter to their communities. MAA seeks to create a safe environment for high school-age students to discuss issues that are relevant to their age-group, issues impacting them, their families, friends and their communities on a daily basis (e.g. education, stereotypes, immigration, bullying, etc.). Drawing from critical theory, the organisation collectively begins to unpack issues impacting communities and responds by creating artivist projects that address communities’ concerns (e.g. through websites, documentaries, newspapers articles, murals, music, dance, etc.).
