How Do Youth Become Activists? Factors That May Influence and Inspire Activism Among Youth Interested in Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

Drawing on survey and focus group data from a national sample of youth who participated in a program sponsored by the ACLU, this study explores the factors that youth perceived as influential to their becoming activists. Findings reveal that among the most common self-reported influences propelling youth to activism are their values, material they have read, other activists, personal experiences with oppression, and media they have heard or watched. Among those who select them, the most impactful of these factors are values, experiences with oppression, and family. Both the selection of the factors and the ratings of impact vary by respondents’ identities and issue areas. Focus group findings affirm the importance of values, highlight the impact of sociopolitical events, illustrate how some factors operate in a push or pull fashion, and underscore the difficulty of isolating influences from one another. Implications for future research and youth organizers are discussed.