ABSTRACT
This essay demonstrates how theatre with LGBTQ+ and non-binary youth within community settings can promote change in their personal lives, as well as effect social justice change to radically impact the institutions that shape society. As a practitioner of Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed, Santiago-Jirau proposes that engagement with queer youth must go beyond representation or contemplation to foster political activation in both youth participants and their audiences. Santiago-Jirau’s work with queer youth of different ages, races, ethnicities, and socio-economic backgrounds centers on creating spaces where young people can find refuge and support, tell their stories, proudly celebrate their identities, and find resources to fight for collective liberation from systems of oppression. In addition to helping young people develop artistic skills, the work follows popular education and critical pedagogy practices, centering on participants holistically. This approach aids queer youth to reframe their realities by understanding their place in the world, understanding their oppressions, and enacting artistic responses.
