Youth and the New Type of Activism

In the summer of 2017, The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center brought together a group of residents around the theme of “Youth as Agents of Transformative Change.” Participants hailed from eight different countries, representing academia, the private sector, civil society, activist organizations, and the arts including novelists, composers, and musicians. And while the focus of the residency was on the subject of youth, the residents themselves ranged in age from those in their 20s to those in their 70s—with every decade in between represented. Over the course of two and half weeks, residents engaged in a unique intergenerational discussion about what motivates and inspires youth, the challenges they face, and how people of all ages can collectively enable transformational change.

This video highlights insights from the residency discussion about the impact of technology on how youth interact with one another to demand and realize change. While young people of every generation have taken action to push for change, today’s youth have more information at their disposal than ever before. They also have access to tools to connect with others across the world around shared values and interests, inspiring new modes of activism.