The new generation of Black activists is done waiting for an invitation to the table; they’re setting the table themselves. Whether it’s addressing climate justice, LGBTQ+ rights, educational advocacy, or voter mobilization, this young cohort of fighters refuses to put advocacy to the side and forget about it, no matter how bleak things might be feeling in 2025. They’re using community, art, social media, and policy reform to forge changes that address today’s most pressing issues and work toward solving them for future generations to come. Their collective strength is a powerful reminder that regardless of your age, your impact is not definitive by experience, but rather determination.
What’s exciting about following today’s Black Gen Z activists is that their activism extends far past simply raising awareness — it’s about demanding and creating change that will last. Whether they are organizing strikes, leading policy programs, or using their platforms to challenge injustice, these young leaders prove that activism is not confined to one method. Their work is a declaration of the power of determination, proving that progress occurs when bold ideas meet never-ending action.
Here are some of the leading Black Gen Z activists to follow on social media and support IRL.
Nupol Kiazolu
Nupol Kiazolu has been an activist since she held her first silent protest at age 12, a fight that led her to the frontlines. At just 17 years old, she marched in Charlottesville on Aug. 12, 2017, protesting against vicious white supremacists — an experience she later wrote as “the most traumatic protest in my life” in the HuffPost. The moment only encouraged her to continue activism, leading her to found We Protect Us, an organization dedicated to community defense and advocacy.
Isra Hirsi
Isra Hirsi, a 21-year-old Black Muslim activist, has been a leader of the climate justice movement since high school, when she joined her school’s environmental club. As the daughter of U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar, Hirsi grew up surrounded by political discussions. However, she has constructed her path to activism by co-founding and serving as co-executive of the U.S. Youth Climate Strike. She also uses her platform to promote social justice.
Marley Dias
When she was just 11 years old, Marley Dias was advocating for diversity in literature when she launched #1000BlackGirlBooks in November 2015, with the hopes to collect and distribute 1,000 books featuring Black female protagonists. What started as a local effort turned into a global movement, now with over 13,000 books collected by 2025. Her activism over the years has led her to represent U.S. activism at the Young Activists Summit and the United Nations in Geneva in November 2024. Through her work, Dias continues to push for inclusivity in education, proving that diverse narratives can change communities.
Lee Gordon
Lee Gordon is a Black LGBTQ+ community organizer, feminist researcher, and criminal justice reform advocate working at the intersection of activism with academia. As an undergraduate student at Harvard studying statistics and sociology, their research focuses on environmental racism and healing justice in addressing systemic harm within the medical community. Beyond academia, Gordon has worked with nonprofit organizations, serving as the Head of Justice with Queer Youth Assemble. “I believe the existence and celebration of love is the greatest form of resistance against fascist division,” Gordon told GLAAD and Teen Vogue in 2023.
Josh Binda
At just 22 years old, Josh Binda made history by being the youngest council member in Lynnwood, Washington. Now serving as the youngest vice president of the Lynwood City Council, Binda continues to strive for young people to get involved with their local government.
Jerome Foster II
At just 16, Jerome Foster II skipped classes to hold strikes outside of the White House, demanding environmental justice. By 18, he became the youngest advisor to the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council under the Biden administration, during which time he helped launch the American Climate Corps (ACC, which served to train young people in the fight for clean energy and the production of climate-resilient jobs. Despite President Donald Trump signing an executive order for the ACC to be “terminated immediately” in January 2025, Foster remains committed to the fight.
Amanda Gorman
It seems like every single one of Amanda Gorman’s achievements is a piece of history in the making. She is the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, having performed her poem “The Hill We Climb” at President Biden’s 2021 presidential inauguration, which left the crowd on its feet to give her a standing ovation. As an activist and bestselling poet, Gorman uses her words to inspire change. “One of the things that Gen Z has that makes it so special is not only being young and ‘scrappy,’ but also that we have this sensation of having to be the saviors of ourselves and the saviors of tomorrow,” Gorman told the Kennedy Center in an interview for their Next 50 interview series. Her work continues to bridge the gap between activism and art, earning her the NAACP Image Award – Chairman’s Award in 2024.