As the world continues to address systemic racial injustice and its impacts on society, you may be wondering what you can do to help out. Young people have always been at the forefront of social movements - and as future leaders, they have the ability to make great change in our world. While systemic changes are needed in order to achieve racial justice, a great way to get personally involved is to donate your time by volunteering with a local organization or political campaign. Here are some examples:

Volunteer for an organization

NAACP ensures the political, educational, social, and economic equality of all people and aims to eliminate racial discrimination. By joining one of their youth programs, which is tailored to those 25 years old and younger, you can learn more about and become part of the changes the NAACP wants to make.

Black Lives Matter is a member-led organization that is working to create “a world where Black lives are no longer systematically targeted.” To volunteer or get involved, contact the local Black Lives Matter Chapter in your community.

ERASE Racism leads public policy advocacy campaigns and initiatives to promote racial equity. High school and college students can apply for one of their programs or become a volunteer. The organization will match your skills and interests to a project they are working on allowing you to develop skills while making a difference!

Volunteer with a political initiative or campaign

First and foremost, if you are eligible make sure you are registered to vote! Unless you live in North Dakota, you must register to vote in all elections. Head over to usa.gov to register to vote or check your state’s registration deadline.

If you learn about a political candidate whose vision and policies you support, try volunteering for their campaign! Typical volunteer tasks often include data-entry or “phone banking,” aka calling & texting local voters. If you’re not sure who is running in your community, you can search for candidates and elections through the Federal Election Commission website, or check out the website of the political party you’re interested in - like the Democratic, Republican, or Green parties.

Benefits of volunteering

In addition to making a change and learning more about issues that are important to you, there are also many personal benefits to volunteering for an organization or cause you care about! Here’s how volunteering can benefit you:

• On your college applications. The more you include on your applications about your interests and passions, the better an admissions officer can learn about you. Having volunteer experience will go a long way. Check out our list of activities that can boost your college applications to learn more about other opportunities!
• On your resume. Even if you don’t have any previous work experience, listing your volunteer experience on your resume shows commitment to trying new things and taking on new responsibilities. Need help with your resume? We can review yours for free!
• Personally. Getting involved with causes you care about can bring a lot of personal satisfaction and pride. Taking care of your community - also known as community care - is a form of self-care! Community care can teach you a lot about yourself and others, and help you continue to grow as a person. 

Not sure what kind of volunteer experience is right for you? Text #Jobs to 33-55-77 to chat with one of our advisors. If you're using a mobile device, click here to have the text message set up for you!