Racial Justice for Youth

Youth defenders have an obligation to look both externally and internally to combat systemic racial injustice, acknowledging and dismantling their own racial biases, as well as the biases of their colleagues. Everyone has bias, even youth defenders who engage in career-long opposition to systemic oppression and state coercion. Research shows that even when individuals stand firmly against racism and are ideologically opposed to explicit bias, they may subconsciously allow these factors to affect their representation. The resources offered in this section provide all stakeholders—including defenders—with tools to detect and counteract their biases.