Yasser A. Payne is an associate professor in the Department of Black American Studies at the University of Delaware. Dr. Payne completed his doctoral work at the Graduate Center-City University of New York where he was trained as a social-personality psychologist. His street ethnographic research program is centered on exploring notions of resiliency with the streets of Black America using an unconventional methodological framework entitled: Participatory Action Research—the process of involving members of the population of interest on the actual research team.
Dr. Payne’s current participatory action research project is entitled: The Wilmington Street PAR project. This community-based study trained fifteen people (21-48) formerly involved with the streets and/or criminal justice system as participatory action researchers, to empirically document the impact of community violence in the Eastside and Southbridge neighborhoods of Wilmington, Delaware. This study was funded with generous grants issued by the American Recovery Reinvestment Act, the University of Delaware and The United Way of Wilmington, DE.
Dr. Payne is also completing a video street ethnographic project in Harlem, NYC entitled: The Streets of Harlem: How Black Men in The Streets Adapt to Structural Violence. This independent film project explores the lived experiences of street life oriented black men, across generations, in Harlem NYC. Topics include experiences with violence, fatherhood, education, employment, housing, prison re-entry and experiences with police. Also, this research documentary captures how Harlem-based street life oriented Black men, across generations, frame notions of resilience in relation to structural inequality.
Furthermore, Dr. Payne has published in a number of peer reviewed journals which include: Teachers College Record, Culture Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, Journal of Black Psychology, Journal of Social Issues and the International Journal of Critical Psychology. Also, Dr. Payne has worked on several book chapters looking at notions of resiliency, racial identity, urban education, Hip-Hop and participatory action research as well as co-authored a book publication entitled: Echoes of Brown: Youth Documenting and Performing the Legacy of Brown V Board of Education (Teachers College Press, 2004).
Links
Curriculum Vitae
News Journal Wilmington Street PAR Project