Race, Antiracism, and Youth Development - Issue 5 - Advocating Sustained Action

Aug 27, 2026

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The essay argues for recognizing racism across research, publishing, practice, and policy within the youth development field, moving from awareness to sustained antiracist action. It highlights how major contemporary cases reflect longstanding devaluation of Black lives and emphasizes that inequities affect youth, youth workers, scholars, and institutions. It frames the Journal of Youth Development’s mission around equity, inclusion, accessibility, and diversity while calling for active steps to address systemic barriers and privilege in daily work.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Contemporary cases and calls for action

The field’s responsibility and antiracist commitment

Equity, inclusion, and diversity in practice

[http://jyd.pitt.edu/](http://jyd.pitt.edu/ | Vol. 15)[ | Vol. 15](http://jyd.pitt.edu/ | Vol. 15) Issue 5 DOI 10.5195/jyd.2020.1005 | ISSN 2325-4017 (online) Race, Antiracism, and Youth Development: From Awareness to Sustained Action Corliss Wilson Outley Clemson University [coutley@clemson. edu](coutley@clemson. edu) Dale A. Blyth University of Minnesota [blyth004@umn. edu](blyth004@umn. edu) Abstract After yet more vivid examples of how Black people are far too often treated unjustly in America and the enormous response worldwide, it is high time to recognize racism in our field and promote a strong and sustained commitment to antiracist approaches to research, publishing, practice, and policy in the youth development field. This essay begins to make the case for such efforts and calls for sustained action in many areas. These are things we can and must do as a field that supports the positive development of all youth. Key words: racism, antiracist, equity, youth, inclusion Introduction 8:46 . 8 minutes and 46 seconds. This time has become a symbol of justice and led to protests and performative acts of racial reckoning in the United States and around the globe. George Floyd was an unarmed Black man publicly killed on the street while in police custody. Breonna Taylor was an unarmed Black woman shot eight times and killed in her own home by police. Ahmaud Arbery was an unarmed Black man who was jogging when he was chased, confronted, shot, and killed by two White men with a shotgun. Each of these are the newest cases that are a part of a long legacy of society devaluing the lives of Black men, women and children. We unequivocally declare and affirm that Black Lives Matter. Black lives not only New articles in this journal are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. This journal is published by the University Library System, University of Pittsburgh and is cosponsored by the University of Pittsburgh Press. The Journal of Youth Development is the official peer-reviewed publication of the National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals and the National AfterSchool Association. Journal of Youth Development | [http://jyd.pitt.edu/](http://jyd.pitt.edu/ | Vol. 15)[ | Vol. 15](http://jyd.pitt.edu/ | Vol. 15) Issue 5 DOI 10.5195/jyd.2020.1005 Race, Antiracism, and Youth Development matter in our communities, in our states, in our nation and in the world—but they also matter critically in our field. They matter in our colleges and universities; they matter in the leadership and workforce of youth development organizations and programs; and critically, the Black lives of the children and youth who are touched, or too often left untouched, by positive youth development opportunities matter. The Journal of Youth Development (JYD) is “dedicated to advancing youth development practice and research. JYD serves applied researchers and evaluators as well as practitioners who work in youth-serving organizations or the intermediaries that support them.” At the core of this vision is our commitment to valuing and appreciating the diversity of youth, youth workers, and researchers that are dedicated to youth development approaches and positive outcomes for all youth. However, we must recognize that the field of youth development lacks diversity in far too many key areas, with Black people and people of African descent being particularly underrepresented among our research scholars. As a journal and a representative of our larger field, we must condemn racism in all of its many forms and acknowledge the impact that historic, deeply rooted, and systemic inequities have on our youth, our youth workers, and our scholars as well as our institutions and organizations. These current realities are a reflection of centuries of inequity due to discrimination and racism inflicted upon Black communities and actively promoted and too easily tolerated by dominant White society. W

FAQs

Why does the essay emphasize moving from awareness to sustained antiracist action in youth development?

Because racism continues to shape research, publishing, practice, and policy outcomes, requiring long-term commitment rather than performative responses. The essay argues that acknowledging racism must lead to active work across the field.

What harms does historical and ongoing racism create within the youth development field?

Persistent racial inequities contribute to disparities in educational opportunities, physical health, psychological well-being, healthcare access, housing availability, life quality, and ultimately survival.

How does the journal connect its mission to antiracism and equity?

It links its dedication to youth development practice and research with commitments to valuing diversity and addressing racism’s impacts on youth, youth workers, scholars, and institutions. The essay also calls for examining privilege and challenging exclusionary policies and practices.

Aug 27, 2026

Upload by Kyle