Rural Students Exploring Identity, Techno-Social Justice and Safe Spaces in a Culturally Responsive Computing Program

This paper shares student perspectives about their participation in CompuPower, an in-school technology and leadership program aimed at exposing rural high school students to culturally responsive computing projects. Drawing on interviews with students across six rural high schools in Arizona, this paper illuminates the impact the program had in creating and maintaining peer safe spaces and counterspaces wherein students felt empowered to explore identity, social justice, and community issues through tech-related projects. Grounded in participatory culture, our study found that the student-centered environment enabled them to explore aspects of their own and others’ identities and to be empowered to engage in meaningful community outreach as techno-social change agents.