The Hate U Give’: Another Resource in the Youth Organizing Toolkit

In this heightened moment of political activity, young people are in need of an outlet to voice their concerns and feel empowered to impact what’s going on around them. The film, “The Hate U Give” makes an important point about what many young people of color experience, what they are witnessing and how to be politically engaged by it. While the film doesn’t go in depth about the intricacies of student organizing, Advancement Project’s national office linked the movie to real-life, on-the-ground organizing by hosting free screenings followed by panel discussions in Washington, DC, St. Louis, Detroit, Miami and Chicago.

“The Hate U Give” is an adaptation of the novel by Angie Thomas, and tells the story of Starr, a Black teenage girl from California who witnesses her childhood friend get murdered by the police. The film also tackles various issues that communities of color are often faced with, including gang violence, quality education, mass incarceration and police brutality.

Seeing “The Hate U Give” as an opportunity to engage with young people surrounding youth organizing and policing, Advancement Project national office, with support from the Black Executives’ Alliance for Boys and Men of Color, hosted free screenings for our partners including Ferguson Collaborative, ArchCity Defenders, ActionSTL, Nation Outside, BYP100, Dream Defenders, Assata’s Daughters, and Brighton Park Neighborhood Council. Each organization participated on a panel to unpack the various themes in the film and discuss efforts on the ground in their respective communities and mobilizing efforts involving young people and the community at large. Advancement Project national office offered our perspective on student organizing by highlighting our school policing report, “We Came to Learn,” which details some of the history, impact and success of student organizing.