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Home / News / Wray-Lake on Civic Engagement Among Young People

Wray-Lake on Civic Engagement Among Young People

Protestors shouting during a demonstration in the street
Photo by FG Trade / iStock

Posted in

  • Luskin in the News

Published on

  • September 25, 2024
  • civic engagement, voting

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UCLA Luskin Professor of Social Welfare Laura Wray-Lake joined KBLA Talk 1580’s “First Things First” broadcast (starting at 6 min, 30 sec) on National Voter Registration Day to discuss civic engagement among young people. Wray-Lake, whose research is focused on youth civic engagement, is co-author of the 2024 book “Young Black Changemakers and the Road to Racial Justice” (Cambridge University Press). Host Dominique DiPrima started the conversation on youth engagement by noting that “what we hear is a lot of assumptions, stereotypes and condemnation of young people being thrown around.” But young people are leaders, visionaries and changemakers in many different ways, Wray-Lake said. Today’s youth are thinking about society in new ways, not hemmed in by the status quo, she said. “They can sort of picture social change much more visually and imagine those things more than some adults can.”
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Laura Wray-Lake

Professor of Social Welfare

Dr. Laura Wray-Lake’s research is primarily focused on youth civic engagement. The starting point for this research is the assumption...

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    Empowers stakeholders with data to make informed decisions for children, families, and communities.

  • Berggruen Governance Index

    Evaluates the quality of political governance and democracy worldwide.

  • Center for Neighborhood Knowledge (CNK)

    Specializes in spatial analysis of socioeconomic disparities in neighborhoods.

  • Center for Policy Research on Aging (CPRA)

    Explores the societal and policy implications of an aging population.

  • Agile Visual Analytics Lab (AVAL)

    Empowers stakeholders with data to make informed decisions for children, families, and communities.

  • Berggruen Governance Index

    Evaluates the quality of political governance and democracy worldwide.

  • Center for Neighborhood Knowledge (CNK)

    Specializes in spatial analysis of socioeconomic disparities in neighborhoods.

  • Center for Policy Research on Aging (CPRA)

    Explores the societal and policy implications of an aging population.

  • Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS)

    Advances research, education, and meaningful civic engagement on transportation issues.

  • Institute on Inequality and Democracy

    Advances scholarship that confronts threats to democracy in America and around the world.

  • Latin American Cities Initiative

    Connects urban planning and policy networks across the Americas.

  • Latino Policy & Politics Institute (LPPI)

    Addresses policy challenges facing Latinos and communities of color.

  • Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS)

    Advances research, education, and meaningful civic engagement on transportation issues.

  • Institute on Inequality and Democracy

    Advances scholarship that confronts threats to democracy in America and around the world.

  • Latin American Cities Initiative

    Connects urban planning and policy networks across the Americas.

  • Latino Policy & Politics Institute (LPPI)

    Addresses policy challenges facing Latinos and communities of color.

  • Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies

    Studying housing affordability and transportation equity in the L.A. region.

  • Los Angeles Education Research Institute (LAERI)

    Collaborates with schools to improve educational outcomes for L.A. students.

  • Luskin Center for Innovation

    Informing effective and equitable environmental policy that improves lives.

  • UCLA Voting Rights Project

    The flagship project for voting rights litigation and policy research.

  • Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies

    Studying housing affordability and transportation equity in the L.A. region.

  • Los Angeles Education Research Institute (LAERI)

    Collaborates with schools to improve educational outcomes for L.A. students.

  • Luskin Center for Innovation

    Informing effective and equitable environmental policy that improves lives.

  • UCLA Voting Rights Project

    The flagship project for voting rights litigation and policy research.

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