The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) has launched a new initiative highlighting the challenges faced by young people and communities of color, many of which have been exacerbated by COVID-19 and recent racial turmoil. To promote action and investment from both private and public sectors, CLASP has released a data portrait of young people, based on analysis of federal surveys, that examines the lives of young people across three areas: Economic Justice, Healing & Wellbeing, and Safe Communities.
Our nation is at a crossroads. We are in the midst of a global pandemic and an economic recession. Since the summer, hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets to protest racial injustice, public lynchings, and police brutality. In the face of these systemic challenges and public health threats, young people are leading and demanding to be seen and heard.
Youth and young adults—particularly young people of color—were facing an uphill battle to economic security, safety, and overall wellbeing even before the pandemic. And since COVID-19, they have been almost totally overlooked by policymakers in relief efforts.
How do we know this? First, we’ve heard it anecdotally from young people we talk with regularly. Second, we’ve been analyzing federal surveys to create a data portrait of young people. Our 2020 Youth Data Portrait examines three interconnected domains affecting the lives of young people: Economic Justice, Healing & Wellbeing, and Safe Communities. The data across these three areas show the failure of public policy to support young people.
