How Teenage Activists Are Talking to Family About Racial Injustice

Ultimately, more than 2,000 people attended, he said, and Ms. Hinojosa listened to her son’s friends tell stories about racism they had faced. “It’s the most important step to solving any problem,” Mr. Hinojosa said.

Other teenagers have turned to one another when they have had trouble talking with family or have been unable find resources.

Over several months from her home in Baltimore, Betsy Schultz, 17, created a 37-page Google Doc about Black Lives Matter, including links to donate to GoFundMe pages, online petitions and a guide for books, documentaries and more.

Ms. Schultz has been trying to create a one-stop shop of resources for other young activists, which has quickly expanded. But she said it has been hard to explain the movement to her father, a political independent who sometimes leans conservative. They often disagree about what they see and hear in the news and on social media, she said — for instance, about who is at fault in clashes between protesters and the police.

But Ms. Schultz still urged other teenagers to voice their beliefs.

“These conversations can be difficult, and it can be extremely hard changing someone’s mind,” Ms. Schultz said. “Even if you can’t make a direct impact on your family, there are so many other ways to take action.”

Historians of civil rights movements said that social media sets these protests apart from others, giving demonstrators a platform to organize and resources to draw from.