Just Spaces: Urban Recreation Centers as Sites for Social Justice Youth Development

Using a social justice youth development (SJYD) framework, this paper explored how urban recreation centers function as “just spaces” for youth and their communities. Utilizing evidence from a photovoice project, a method in which photographs were taken to visually depict the performance of hope, this article examined the experiences of a single case, Sara. Drawing upon Sara’s experiences, we examined the importance of recreational spaces in facilitating critical components of SJYD. Findings suggest centers, such as the YMCA, become important islands of hope for marginalized youth and it is imperative leisure scholars and policymakers recognize this critical link. Additional research is needed to understand how these spaces assist youth in responding to larger political and economic forces in their communities.