Empathy & civic engagement: Latiné youth motivating change in an anti-immigrant America

Political discourse leading up to the 2020 US presidential election was overwhelmingly negative in its characterization of Latiné immigrant-origin communities. In this qualitative study, we employed critical civic empathy (Mirra, Educating for empathy: Literacy learning and civic engagement, Teachers College Press, New York, 2018) as an analytic framework to explore how Latiné immigrant-origin young adult citizens engaged in civic life amid divisive rhetoric targeting their communities. Findings suggest that, first, our participants recognized the privilege their legal status carries; second, their witness to the experiences of less privileged community members fostered empathy; and, finally, their commitment to justice spurred action. We conclude with recommendations for preparing more youth for civic engagement.