Coronavirus Impact On Youth Activism

COVID-19 Impact on Youth Activism

For much of 2020, the world has struggled getting COVID-19 under control, which has resulted in most youth and teens having to stay at home. Under lockdown, many young people have been spending time on social media in order to learn more about issues- from global climate change to police brutality towards Black people and other people of color. These are issues that were often not taught about in depth in school. Through self-education, young people were able to view events such as a string of police murders of Black Americans in real time, and many used their unprecedented free time and social media skills to learn about systemic racism and police brutality, in hopes of making a difference. 

The issues of race are not new, or course. In addition, youthful idealists have a long history of using protests and activism to promote positive change. What has changed in 2020? COVID-19 has forced youth to stay indoors. Without the busy schedules of school and extracurriculars has allowed youth to intensify their activism using social media platforms as well as read the news. ”Following the death of George Floyd, who was killed on May 25 in Minneapolis at the hand of a white police officer, the Black Lives Matter movement has gained a tremendous following,….”(Lensik)  Youth and teens under stay-at-home orders, quarantine, or without access to protests in their communities, have also found a way to stay engaged, educate themselves as well as educate their friends and family. 

In other parts of the world, youth activists have turned their attention to other issues of global importance such as climate change. Climate change activists have used social media tools to advance their agenda, and to influence public opinion. “#Climatestrike has become #climatestrikeonline following a call from youth activist Greta Thunberg for climate strikers to take to the internet and not the streets during the COVID-19 pandemic.”(Pelter). Because of the changing conditions a new hashtag was created to encourage activists to acknowledge the dangers of protests in pertaining to COVID-19 and take their protests indoors. 

The social media activism has allowed youth to be more involved in policy making and governing in their communities. Petitions have been signed globally to bring justice to victims or police brutality, and awareness to climate related issues. Gen Z has also realized the role they have in the upcoming United States 2020 election. “…one-in-ten eligible voters will be members of Generation Z…”(cilluffo).

Twitter has been a platform for activists to share their stories.

Works Cited

 Pelter, Zoë. “Pandemic Participation: Youth Activism Online in the COVID-19 Crisis.” UNICEF Office of Global Insight & Policy, 14 Apr. 2020, www.unicef.org/globalinsight/stories/pandemic-participation-youth-activism-online-covid-19-crisis.

January 30, 2019, and Anthony Cilluffo and Richard Fry. “An Early Look at the 2020 Electorate.” Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends Project, 25 Sept. 2019, www.pewsocialtrends.org/essay/an-early-look-at-the-2020-electorate/.

Lesnick, Sydney. “And We Rise.” Global Student Square, 4 Aug. 2020, www.globalstudentsquare.org/the-surprising-impact-of-the-coronavirus-on-youth-activism/.

Rin, Manny. “Student Activists Find New Ways to Organize during COVID-19 Elections.” Student PIRGs, 1 July 2020, studentpirgs.org/2020/07/01/student-activists-find-new-ways-to-organize-during-covid-19-elections/.