Youth Strategizing, Convening & Training

Anti-Racist DC believes that young people are already leading, and that any serious racial justice work in DC must center their power, safety, and imagination. Our work with youth is rooted in the understanding that young people are experts in their own lives and conditions—and they deserve not just a seat at the table, but the ability to shape the table, the agenda, and the rules.

ARDC’s collaborations with young people are highlighted in our work with the Youth Power and Safety Coalition. ARDC helps bring together youth, youth organizers, and youth-serving organizations to build a shared vision for what safety really means in DC. Instead of relying on policing, punishment, and surveillance, we work with young people to define safety as stability, joy, housing, care, mental health support, and opportunities to thrive. The coalition creates regular spaces for young people to connect across schools, neighborhoods, and programs, and to move from sharing stories to building campaigns and demands.

Our support includes political education, facilitation, and strategy support for youth-led efforts. This can look like preparing young people to speak at hearings, guiding them through research and power mapping, or helping them design town halls, mutual aid projects, and direct actions that reflect their priorities. We also work with adult allies—educators, nonprofit staff, caregivers, and decision-makers—to practice showing up in ways that resource youth power rather than control it.

With the Youth Power and Safety Coalition, ARDC is committed to building a DC where young people are safe not because they are controlled, but because they are resourced, trusted, and heard. If you’re a young person or a youth-serving organization ready to plug in, we invite you to connect with us and help shape what youth power and safety look like in this city.