“Brilliant, shocking, tender, full of poetic fury, Black Youth Rising probes deep into the tender, aching hearts of Urban America's neglected young people. This book offers clear, detailed, and effective strategies for easing their dream-crushing pain and recovering a struggling generation. Shawn Ginwright's eye-opening work shows why he is one of the nation's most provocative, insightful, and healing voices.”
—Susan L. Taylor, Editor-in-chief Emerita, Essence Magazine, Founder and CEO, National CARES Mentoring Movement

“For those who are tired of reading about the problems and pathologies facing Black youth, Shawn Ginwright has provided us with an alternative analysis and a source of hope. Black Youth Rising shows us that despite the broad array of hardships facing Black youth, young people supported by caring adults can be organized and empowered to confront these challenges and to take control of their lives. Read this book if you're ready to do more than lament how bad things are and are ready to take action for change.”
—Pedro A. Noguera, Executive Director, Metropolitan Center for Urban Education, New York University

Black Youth Rising examines how toxic social conditions outside of schools, in neighborhoods, cities, and society have threatened black youth's capacity to dream, hope, organize, and act. In this break-through book, Shawn Ginwright presents an alternative framework for understanding today’s black youth. Resulting from his work with young people in a community based organization in Oakland, California, Ginwright formulated a process called “radical healing.” As a result of radical-healing practices, African American youth learned to connect their racial identity to broader social and political issues which ultimately contributed to academic achievement, innovative forms of civic engagement, and overall well being.

Combining a theoretically grounded framework with practical strategies, Black Youth Rising offers a new model for understanding what African American youth need in order to succeed in school and in life. This book is essential reading for educators, social workers, community organizers, after-school coordinators, and all who work with inner-city adolescents.

Shawn A. Ginwright is Associate Professor of Africana Studies and Senior Research Associate at the Cesar Chavez Institute for Public Policy at San Francisco State University. Visit his website at www.shawnginwright.com.