ABSTRACT
This chapter illustrates two examples of how I came to interact with Black and Latina/o youth, health and fitness in an urban after-school program in New York City. Drawing from a larger 18-month visual ethnography, I focus on two narratives in which I explain how important it is to be flexible and open when working with high-school-aged youth in an urban after-school setting. I highlight two specific suggestions. First, I suggest ‘getting lost’ to get to know the youth. This means taking a step back to learn about young people, their broader interests and lives, outside of the weight room. Second, I suggest experimenting with ‘innovative’ methods. This means being creative, using visual and/or multi-modal approaches to learn about young peoples' interactions with health and fitness in different ways. Finally, in drawing on these examples, I conclude that non-linear approaches – ‘getting lost’ and using ‘innovative’ methods – enabled me to learn more about youths' interactions with health and fitness. As such, I suggest that we continue to build on flexible approaches to open up possibilities for how we consider young peoples' engagement with health and fitness.
