A Critical Civic Praxis Approach to Empowering Urban Youth Leaders in a Community-Based Organization

Although research illustrates that community-based organizations (CBOs) offer critical support to the education of historically marginalized youth, less is known about CBOs’ role in developing youth’s critical civic praxis toward social justice. In this case study, we analyzed semi-structured interviews with youth who participated in a college preparation and social justice-focused CBO during high school in an urban community where many of them experienced profound disparities. The purpose of this study was to explore the role that CBOs play in shaping youth’s critical civic praxis during and post high school. The study findings suggest that CBOs can significantly influence youth’s commitment to social justice far beyond K-12 schooling, instilling community values such as reciprocity that reposition the pursuit of higher education as a form of social justice. We offer implications for CBOs who serve historically marginalized youth, whose commitment to improving educational opportunities include social justice for youth and their surrounding communities.