From voice to action: toward participatory action research in anti-racism education in Canada

This study explores the transformative role of voice within participatory action research (PAR) as both a narrative and analytical tool for addressing systemic racism. PAR fosters critical engagement, reflexivity, and collaborative knowledge creation by amplifying marginalized voices to challenge entrenched power structures. This research investigates how the voice-giving methodology informs our anti-racism education program design, connecting personal narratives with structural critiques to expose and disrupt racial inequities. Utilizing Critical Race Theory (CRT) alongside PAR, our study integrates reflective and action-oriented approaches to examine intersectional dimensions of racism while fostering community-based collaboration. Findings emphasize PAR’s participatory, collective, and actionable impacts in anti-racism education, demonstrating how it transforms lived experiences into actionable insights. This approach enhances program design by grounding anti-racism efforts in inclusive, contextually relevant frameworks that empower participants, promote meaningful dialogue, and facilitate enduring social change across individual, institutional, and societal levels, advancing equity and justice-focused outcomes.