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February 2025


** Change Starts Here (With Me)
Day of Action
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Join us for a Day of Action on March 7, 2025 (or any day in March) — and organize with young people in your community. Learning for Justice offers two toolkits to support this Day of Action.
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Youth activism has been a powerful force for change and progress. When young people step up and speak out, they bring fresh perspectives, boundless energy, and unshakeable determination in the march toward justice. In the Civil Rights Movement, the courage of young students — leading sit-ins, marching with Dr. Marin Luther King Jr. and demanding justice — helped spark transformative change. Their steadfast belief in justice propelled the movement forward.

Today, youth participation in movements for justice and equity continues the legacy. As we commemorate the 60th anniversary of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery march, it is time for today’s youth to step forward, just as the young people did then, and say, “Change starts here.” Youth voice, energy and activism are essential in shaping today’s movements for justice.

The 60th anniversary of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery march marks a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement. In a powerful demonstration of collective action, ordinary people, united in a common goal, embarked on a 54-mile march from Selma to Alabama’s state capital, Montgomery. Along the way, white supremacists brutally attacked the activists, spurring public outrage. The disturbing and violent images of that day shifted public opinion in favor of the movement’s cause and led to the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

This anniversary serves not only as a time to reflect on the triumph and bravery of the marchers, but also as a call to action. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 remains far from fully realized. Black communities still face racist gerrymandering, high rates of disenfranchisement, voter ID laws, and restricted access to the polls. The legacy of this march is one of collective action and unwavering resilience, and just as the marchers of 1965 overcame seemingly insurmountable challenges, we too must rise to meet the challenges of today.

Jalaya Liles Dunn
Director, Learning for Justice
Day of Action Toolkits

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** Change Starts Here (With Me) ([link removed])
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This toolkit engages young people in the movement for justice to understand nonviolent direct action and participate in action for change in their communities.


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** Introduction to Action Planning ([link removed])
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This toolkit facilitates an introduction to action planning, offering a structure for planning individual or collective action for change.

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Learning from the Civil Rights Movement

For historical context to support the Change Starts Here (With Me) Day of Action, we offer two learning journeys as part of our Learning from the Civil Rights Movement series ([link removed]) .
Hostile Opposition to the Civil Rights Movement ([link removed])

Understand how hostile opposition efforts tried to slow or prevent the movement for equality and justice, and apply lessons to today’s justice issues.
Selma: From the Bridge to the Ballot ([link removed])
Learn how the 1965 Selma to Montgomery march marked a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement and demonstrated the courage of ordinary people.
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Learn From and Honor Black History
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Diversity is integral to our country’s strength and democratic values. Honor Black history all year, and resist attempts to erase the democratic values of justice, equity, inclusivity and diversity — our nation’s strengths. Black history in the United States includes understanding Black people’s resilience and contributions to our nation, along with strategies for coalition-building and justice movements that are essential today.

Learning for Justice offers this resource page ([link removed]) to help discuss, teach and learn from Black history and experience all year long.

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Learning for Justice Magazine, Fall 2024 ([link removed])

Dialogue creates opportunities to reach across differences and to engage with and understand one another, without losing the integrity of our work for justice. This issue ([link removed]) explores why dialogue is crucial for a thriving democracy, addresses critical issues facing our communities in the South and our nation, and encourages us to reach across our differences.

(Cover illustration by Matt Williams)

If you are able to facilitate a Change Starts Here (With Me) Day of Action this March with young people in your school or community, we would love to hear about it. Send us an email at [email protected] — include the subject line: Change Starts Here Day of Action.

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