Make Space, Take Space: Addressing Intersecting Power Differences to Move Toward Youth-Adult Solidarity. A Response to “Heavy on the Solidarity, Light on the Adultism: Adult Supports for Youth Activism”

This response to “Heavy on the Solidarity, Light on the Adultism: Adult Supports for Youth Activism” foregrounds the radical actions required to bridge intersecting power differences between youth and adults and engage in true solidarity. The original article proposes four actions that adults can take to foster solidarity with youth activists. We extend this proposal by demonstrating how these actions must be accompanied by role re-mediation and coconspiracy in order to move toward youth-adult solidarity. We draw on the actions of civil rights leader Ella Baker and our own experiences to show how both role re-mediation (adults making space for young people) and coconspiracy (adults taking space from powerful adults or structures) are necessary to bridge the extreme and intersecting power differences between youth and adults.