Creating auspicious conditions for positive youth development in communities of color

Representations of young people in the national media conjure unsavory images of urban youth as out of control, emotionally labile, unmotivated, and unwilling to take responsibility for their actions. Moreover, young persons of color are often represented in stories about failing high schools in which students fall behind peers in skills and seem to be incapable of overcoming problems at home or to benefit from instruction at school. Dominant narratives about young people in urban environments are often replete with images of the hypermasculine "thug" who operates according to a street code in which status is based on the ability to intimidate, and respect comes from the barrel of a gun. Although these images are gross exaggerations that apply to a very small number of young people, they are undisputed depictions that have come to dominate the narrative about urban youth and the difficulties they represent for families and communities. This article provides ways to move toward auspicious community conditions for youth development. To do so, it is necessary to delineate what is meant by positive youth development in terms of the outcomes desired as young people make the transition to adulthood.