Youth Action Alumni Member James Jones, a doctoral student in Sociology at Columbia University is currently featured on the Tavis Smiley Foundation’s website for his article on the 50th Anniversary of the Freedom Riders and the need for young people today to continue the struggle for freedom and justice.

See article by visiting www.youthtoleaders.org or by reading below

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Young Leaders Speak Out

The Ride to Freedom is Not Over by James R. Jones

This year we celebrate the 50th year anniversary of the Freedom Rides and the remarkable bravery demonstrated by countless young people to challenge the existence of segregation in the United States. Youth, both black and white, rode throughout the South to test the Supreme Court’s Boynton v. Virginia decision that outlawed racial discrimination in public transportation. These acts of civil disobedience were a watershed moment in the Civil Rights Movement, which forced the federal government to uphold and enforce measures that end segregation in interstate transportation.

It is hard to imagine the suffering the Freedom Riders endured while on their journey throughout the Deep South. I cannot begin to fathom what went through Congressman John Lewis’ mind as he was beaten in Birmingham, AL. Nor can I even contemplate how Hank Thomas remained committed to overthrowing Jim Crow laws while trapped in a burning bus surrounded by a mob of angry white Southerners. What makes the story of the Freedom Rides even more compelling is the age of the activists who dared to confront racist bigots and unjust laws. Both Lewis and Thomas were only 19 years old. From the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) to the children marching through Birmingham during the children’s crusade, youth and young adults played a pivotal role in the success of the Civil Rights Movement.

As we reflect on the courage displayed by youth in the Civil Rights Movement, it is also important that we examine the current state of youth activism. Coretta Scott King once famously said, “Struggle is a never-ending process. Freedom is never really won.  You earn it and win it in every generation.”

With rates of joblessness and poverty doubled in black and Hispanic communities, freedom has not been won. And as education funding continues to lag behind and schools are seen not as conduits to opportunity but merely a stopgap to the more permanent prison industrial complex for those with brown and black faces, then surely the struggle must continue. We need more than ever the innocence of youth, who seem to be undaunted by the seemingly insurmountable barriers of oppression to tackle the major social issues of today.

We must honor the freedom riders not only by remembering what they did, but also by continuing the fight. Indeed, we have already seen the potential of this generation by their unprecedented involvement in the historic 2008 presidential election. However, the call for justice and equality cannot be limited to voting in years of a presidential election. We need a sustained movement that works across traditional boundaries and recognizes the nature of interlocking oppressions to give rise to a truly transformative politics.

I salute Tavis Smiley and the work he and his foundation have done to encourage youth activism and to develop the leaders of tomorrow. I am direct beneficiary of his vision through my involvement with the Philadelphia Youth Action Team, Inc.

For those who have not been a recipient of the foundation’s wisdom it is important to discuss the many ways that youth can make a difference. First, learn about the issues that affect your community, whether it is health disparities or environmental racism. To that end, volunteer at local organizations that service your community such as a homeless shelter, community center or a local school.

Second, find similar like-minded youth who are just as committed to social change as you are. Find youth in your schools, churches, and recreation centers. And if there is not an established forum where you fit in, start your own organization. Finally, once you have learned about the issues and found other socially conscious youth to work with, learn about the social factors that have the power to change the situation. Meet with these individuals, intern with them, or if they are elected official vote or do not vote for them, but whatever you decide make sure they hear your voice.

Dr. Martin Luther Kind once said, “The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice.” We must not forget that the arc is malleable and that its bends only when it is constantly hammered for calls for equality. Throughout history, youth and young adults have made some of the biggest dents in the arc, and if we are ever to achieve freedom in our generation then we must continue to hammer injustice away.