Unleash the Power within YOUth: Scholar Activism

^{At YouthxYouth, we root our work in the belief that activism, like life itself, takes so many forms, each one necessary and vital in our journey of cultivating a just and liberated world. This year’s annual YouthxYouth crowdfunding campaign is centred around raising support to sustain the work we do at YxY by showcasing the diversity of the activism that exists within our community, from artivists to community weavers, and everything in between. This crowdfunding campaign is an invitation, an open door if you will, to sustain the work of YxY through 2025 and beyond, and to witness the power and depth of activism. Through this campaign, we’re intentionally holding up a mirror to reflect the faces of those we serve and uplift, the activists whose journeys we nurture and who nurture us in return. As part of this, we are releasing a series of blogs that explore 10 different archetypes of activism.} 

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As an organisation accelerating the process by which young people influence, design, and transform their learning experiences and education systems our community is made up of many scholars. So today, in this blog, we are exploring Scholar Activism! This form of resistance wields knowledge as a powerful tool and engages knowledge production with the purpose to further positive social change. Some of their tools of change include quantitative and qualitative research, reports, historical analysis, and benchmarks! 

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These activists crucially recognize that knowledge production and dissemination are inherently powerful acts that can either reinforce or dismantle existing power structures. Historically Scholar Activists often emerged from marginalised communities who were actively engaging education and research as powerful tools for change. So, for example, figures like W.E.B. Du Bois, who’s work centred racial justice, and bell hooks, who worked on intersectional feminism, in addition to lots more, show how scholar activists have long sought to forge new ways of understanding, being, and relating within the world. In many Global South contexts, scholar activists have also played a crucial role in creating frameworks that challenge dominant Western perspectives and uplift Indigenous ways of knowing. Their work has been essential for documenting histories subjected by colonial empires and safeguarding cultural knowledge thus developing educational models that serve the needs of their communities rather than neocolonial interests. 

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In the same vein though, scholar activism transcends traditional academic boundaries and understands that knowledge doesn't solely reside within university walls. It works to bridge the gap between academic institutions and communities, ensuring that knowledge, learning and education flows both ways and is liberatory!

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“Liberating education consists in acts of cognition, not transferals of information.” - Paulo Freire

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A recent example of scholar activism is the movement of climate scientists who combine their research with direct advocacy, using their expertise to support environmental justice movements. Similarly, scholar activists have been central to movements for disability justice, gender equality, and racial justice, where they work to document lived experiences to challenge harmful narratives and provide evidence-based support for systemic changes.

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Now the particular challenges that scholar activists tend to face are quite unique. For example, they often struggle with navigating the tension between academic institutions' traditional expectations and their commitment to social change. Additionally, there's the ongoing challenge of making complex ideas accessible without losing their transformative power while also challenging deeply entrenched systems from within institutions that may be resistant to change. However, at its core, the fact that scholar activism is centered on a recognition that knowledge is never neutral makes it powerful in challenging the systems that perpetuate harm. It questions who gets to produce knowledge, whose knowledge is validated, and how knowledge can be used as either a tool of oppression or liberation, which opens real pathways for rooted transformation.

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To celebrate this archetype of activism we're excited to share an interview with a splendid Scholar Activist within the YxY community, Josh Buenvijaje. Josh is a second-year undergraduate student at Stanford University pursuing a degree in Design Engineering. At Stanford, Josh works at the Asian American Activities Center (A3C), where he began as a Frosh Intern and now serves as an AASIB Coordinator, fostering connections and creating impactful programming for the Asian American community on campus. As a Neighborhood Engagement Intern with Stanford ResEd, he brings his passion for cultivating belonging to dorm neighborhoods and designing spaces where students feel connected and supported. Josh’s commitment to building meaningful communities extends to his work with YouthxYouth, where he has served as a community weaver and program facilitator, helping to inspire action and amplify youth voices. In his free time, Josh loves watching Studio Ghibli films, discovering new boba spots, and bargaining at vintage flea markets.

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Take a look at this interview with Josh and stay tuned to our social media for more conversations like this one!

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Through these interviews, we hope to bring you closer to the lived experiences of activists within our community, hopefully offering a fuller understanding of what it means to be an activist, in its vast multiplicities.

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As we journey through the other archetypes of activism we invite you to reflect on the interconnectedness of these roles. While each archetype has its distinct facets, together they make up our YouthxYouth community and how magical is that!

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Our crowdfunding campaign is about celebrating this diversity, and by contributing, you are not only helping sustain YxY’s work but also joining a community that values and nurtures a broad spectrum of activism. We invite you to support those who dare to act, whether it's on the frontlines or behind the scenes, as we envision and work towards the more beautiful futures our hearts so deeply long for.

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Donate now!