Masters Thesis

"The Barrio Beautification Effect:" Utilizing Graffiti as A Tool to Build Resiliency, Resistance, and Healing with Adolescent Latino Boys and Young Men in Los Angeles

"The Barrio Beautification Effect," departs from a community cultural wealth framework and valorizes the medium of graffiti as a community cultural asset versus a deficit. A graffiti-based mural program was implemented as a mechanism to uplift adolescent Latino boys and other young men of color who have experienced economic hardships, violence, and systemic marginalization in low-income communities. "The Barrio Beatification Effect" brought local Los Angeles artists and workshops to Latino youth from Ramona Gardens and Legacy LA, a youth development non-profit organization located in Boyle Heights. The program consisted of an orientation, a virtual mural tour, and a graffiti mural design workshop. Through this project, Latino youth were able to practice their artistic skills in a safe place. It provided them with the opportunity to grow as individuals and create a positive outcome. Using ethnographic methods, I conducted a total of six semi-structured interviews and collected additional data through field observations. The results of this study unveiled a unique perspective on graffiti that is distinct from the master narrative and also shed light on graffiti art and its practitioners. I found that if the practice of graffiti is utilized with restorative intentions, it can open up avenues for grassroots interventions that have the power to promote healthier communities in Los Angeles. The graffiti-based mural program promoted healing, resistance, and resiliency for youth of color who have witnessed hardships in their lives.

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