Youth Activist Project

The Friedman Youth Project is the youth activism and education program of the ACLU of Northern California.  The Project’s Youth Activist Committee, which meets year-round, plans an annual youth rights conference and a summer field investigation. 

The Friedman Project also coordinates classroom and community presentations on a range of civil liberties topics, coordinates an annual retreat for activist students and teachers, and trains high school teachers and administrators on addressing bias and discrimination to create safer campus environments for students.

The ACLU of Northern California protects the rights of young people through litigation, legislation, and the Howard A. Friedman Education Project, a groundbreaking project that empowers and trains the next generation of activists.

The ACLU-NC has been instrumental in landmark legislative and litigation victories on issues important to youth, including safe schools, educational equity, “gang” roundups, and sex education. 

Steered by a Youth Activist Committee, the Friedman Project enables high school students to explore the civil liberties and social justice issues they face in daily life. From creating safe schools for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth, to examining racial inequities in the juvenile justice system, ACLU youth investigate and advocate for issues they care about. 

High school students learn and take action through conferences, summer field investigations, publications, and in-school presentations.  The Friedman Project also works with high school students and faculty to develop ACLU clubs.