Occasional Paper Series #53
Transforming Futures through Speculative YPAR: The Garage Story
by Allison JoAnn Lester, Eden Kadosh, Atlas Suarez, and Abigail Rubinstein
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, everything changed for us. Schools closed, hangouts were cancelled, and the places where we used to gather—cafes, parks, libraries—suddenly felt out of reach. As teens, we faced a level of isolation that few adults around us seemed to understand. It was more than being stuck at home; we felt cut off from the connections that made us feel seen, valued, and part of something bigger.
In 2021, in the midst of all that uncertainty, we discovered a new opportunity: a paid internship called the Teen Think Tank, funded by local and national foundations and led by a local non-profit, ish. It was a chance for us to take charge, come together, and create something real for our community.
At the core of our work was Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR), a method that put us in control. With the support of adult allies, we immersed ourselves in researching what our peers needed most, brainstorming solutions, and figuring out how to turn those ideas into something tangible. What emerged from our research was the Garage, a place designed for connection, safety, and belonging.
This article follows our journey step-by-step through each phase of the design process: from our first brainstorming sessions on Zoom to gathering data with our peers to the final touches that brought the Garage to life. Along the way, we learned to trust our voices, take risks, and embrace our role as leaders in shaping our community.
Dr. Allison JoAnn Lester is an assistant teaching professor at Arizona State University, specializing in building school-university-community partnerships to address real-world challenges, integrating culturally responsive pedagogy and ethical AI to co-create inclusive, transformative, and learner-centered experiences. She was the director of the Teen Think Tank, a youth-driven initiative in Cincinnati, OH that empowered young people to engage in community-based research, critical problem-solving, and innovative design. Through partnerships with local organizations, students identified pressing social issues, collected and analyzed data, and developed actionable solutions to drive meaningful change in their communities.
Eden Kadosh is an undergraduate student at Ohio University studying Integrated Language Arts Education and is an active member of the Delta Zeta sorority. During her junior and senior years of high school, Eden was a Teen Think Tank intern where she worked to amplify youth voices through action research. She is passionate about advocating for others, exploring the world, and experiencing new cultures.
Atlas Suarez is a junior at the University of Cincinnati, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with certificates in Minority Health, Pre-Art Therapy, and Spanish Social Work. He formerly worked as a Teen Think Tank intern during his junior and senior year of high school, where he worked alongside other teens to come up with innovative solutions and community outreach for teens in and around the community. Passionate about mental health and advocacy, he aspires to work in patient care as a psychologist, focusing on making mental health care more accessible and inclusive in underrepresented communities.
Abigail Rubinstein is an upcoming student at the University of Cincinnati studying journalism and business. She is passionate about journalistic writing, winning a Jewish Scholastic Journalism award. She was a former Teen Think Tank intern from her sophomore to senior year of high school, where she worked with young people to design solutions to community challenges.