Exploring Black and Latinx Adolescents’ Beliefs About Achievement, Resistance, and Activism

Abstract

This mixed methods study investigates the beliefs about achievement, resistance, and activism of Black and Latinx adolescents attending six charter high schools in five U.S. cities. We report on both OLS regression analyses of survey data ( n = 344) and thematic analysis of interview data ( n = 26) collected during participants’ final year of high school. Quantitative analyses revealed that youths’ belief that their academic achievement represents a form of resistance against racism (“achievement-as-resistance”) significantly predicted their commitment to activism, and this relationship was moderated by participants’ school type. Youth attending “no-excuses” schools demonstrated a stronger relationship between their achievement-as-resistance beliefs and commitment to activism than their peers attending “progressive” schools. Explanatory qualitative analyses of interview data demonstrated that youth at no-excuses schools received strong messaging from their educators that achievement was the best way for Black and Latinx youth to resist racism. Youth also reported that their no-excuses schools did not engage students in activism and in some cases, responded negatively to student-led activism. Findings suggest that Black and Latinx youths’ achievement-as-resistance beliefs may have supported their commitment to activism, but this relationship may have been strengthened by youths’ desire to push beyond their schools’ narrow messaging about resistance.