Supporting Youth in Protesting

In order to speak out and take action against police brutality and systemic racism, many people around the country and around the world are gathering to protest. Youth are witnessing this and may feel strongly about participating in order to show support and have their voices heard. It’s understandable that, as caring adults in their lives, we may be hesitant about their participation. While there’s risk involved in protesting, especially due to COVID-19, there are ways to reduce this risk that also allow for young people to join in.

Here are a few suggestions from a recent New York Times article:

• Before they go, make a plan with measures that they’ll take such as wearing a mask, carrying hand sanitizer, going with a group or buddy and making sure to have plenty of water.
• Keep moving.  Being in a crowd makes it harder to socially distance.
• Designate a specific meeting place.
• Establish when it may be necessary to leave the protest.
• Discuss behaviors that could put them at more risk.

Having a plan ahead of time will help young people feel prepared and know what to do, especially if things escalate.

If kids are too young to attend a larger protest or if it is not an option, there are still things you can do and ways you can protest together. You could send support such as snacks or water to protesters, use chalk to write messages of support and protest on the sidewalk or even organize a toy protest and have a conversation about racial violence and speaking up. Get creative -- there are a lot of resources online that may provide inspiration!

Read more about how youth can stay safe and reduce potential harm while joining protests in this New York Times article. For more ways to protest with youth from home, check out this list from Today.