26isfam071
10.3205/26isfam071
urn:nbn:de:0183-26isfam0718
Meeting Abstract
From Stories to Systems: Digital Storytelling as a Pathway to Anti-Racist and Age-Inclusive Arts-Health Research
Charise
Charise
Andrea
A
University of Toronto Scarborough
author
Aya
Aya
Esi
E
TAIBU Community Health Center
author
Saravanamuthu
Saravanamuthu
Vijay
V
TAIBU Community Health Center
author
Asare
Asare
Esther-Joelle
EJ
University of Victoria
author
Shanice
Shanice
Chin
C
University of Toronto Scarborough
author
Chandradhas
Chandradhas
Pruthuvie
P
University of Toronto Scarborough
author
Umogbai
Umogbai
Gloria
G
University of Toronto Scarborough
author
German Medical Science GMS Publishing House
Düsseldorf
610
20260612
engl
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Dieser Artikel ist ein Open-Access-Artikel und steht unter den Lizenzbedingungen der Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (Namensnennung).
M0652
071
International Society for Arts and Medicine
The Healing Arts – Forging Alliances of Arts & Medicine
Presentation Abstracts
Berlin
20260618
20260620
26isfam071
TextBackground: By 2032, more than 25% of older Canadians will identify as Black or racialized. Arts-infused, community-led health research is increasingly vital for amplifying the knowledges, worldviews, and lived realities of communities marginalized by mainstream health methods. Intergenerational digital storytelling—through the co-creation of short audiovisual narratives—fosters “collective memories of lived experience between distinct generations” (Charise et al., 2022) and generates research processes and products that center minoritized voices. Grounded in Africentric principles of health and wellness (Gebremikael et al., 2022), this project asks: What do intergenerational digital storytelling methods reveal about the textured experiences of aging among Black and racialized older adults?Methods: In partnership with TAIBU Community Health Centre, Digital Kuumba is an arts-led, community-based mixed-methods study engaging Black and racialized older adults in Scarborough, an eastern borough of Toronto, Canada. Since 2024, older adults, facilitators, peer researchers, and the research team have acted as co-researchers. Data sources include qualitative interviews, collective creative and digital-making processes, validated scales (e.g., WHO-5 Wellbeing Index, Three-Item Loneliness Scale), and the creation and sharing of digital stories (March 2024–January 2026).Results: To date, Digital Kuumba has produced 24 participant-driven digital stories of aging. Thematic analysis of interviews and focus groups indicates that both the stories and their creation foster belonging, purpose, self-determination, connection, justice, collectivity and joy among participants (aged 55–89 years). Conclusion: Merging digital storytelling with Africentric values challenges Western models focused on clinical decline, advancing social wellness, knowledge exchange, and anti-racist, anti-ageist policy for Black and racialized older adults.
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