What is Youth Action Stories?

We have questions about our own youth organizing work at BRIDGES in Memphis, Tenn., and we’ve decided to search for some answers. Although there is a lot of academic research about youth organizing, it can seem distant from the actual work that we do everyday. Stories are different.

As we listened to the stories of 30 individuals across eight organizations in five cities, we learned from the lived experiences and reflections of others who are knee deep in doing the inspiring work of making positive change in their communities. And, there is power in being able to tell these stories. 

Youth Action Stories is an audio-visual and writing project that shares the experiences, challenges and best practices in the field of youth-led social change across the U.S. This online collection of blog posts, video interviews, and an audio archive chronicles the work of youth leaders and adult allies in various cities.

We hope this project serves as a tool for youth leading social change in their communities, adults who work directly with youth organizers, funders and community leaders who work with youth, and organizational leaders interested in the field of youth-led social change.

How to use Youth Action Stories

Watch. Listen. Read. Contact us. Whether you are a seasoned youth organizer, leader within a youth organization, or someone new to the field of youth-led social change, we hope that the content you’ll find here will support your journey. We have found that the experiences shared by those we interviewed reflect best practice research in the fields of youth development and youth organizing, but this site is designed to be personal and easy to digest. We hope that it fosters reflection and inspires new thinking.

Whose Stories? Folks from the following organizations...

Urban Underground, Milwaukee

Youth Empowered Solutions (YES!), Charlotte

Youth As Resources, Baltimore

Baltimore Algebra Project, Baltimore

The Oasis Center, Nashville

Youth on Board, Boston

Greenroots, Chelsea, MA

I Have a Future, Boston

Bridge Builders CHANGE, Memphis