In an era when education can extend far beyond traditional classrooms, this volume explores how young people engage with civic life and shape their futures through creative, critical, and collective action. This timely volume brings together a diverse group of scholars and practitioners who highlight the rich potential of out-of-school spaces, digital platforms, and community-based practices to nurture the next generation of civic leaders.

From youth-driven podcasts to speculative fiction and social media activism, the chapters in this book chart a range of innovative and empowering practices that support young people's development as activists, storytellers, and agents of change. Contributors examine how Black, immigrant, refugee, and urban youth are crafting new narratives of justice, belonging, and resistance—often in the face of systemic oppression.

In this volume, you'll discover:

The first volume focuses on the future-oriented civic literacy learning taking place in K–12 classrooms. The third volume explores the transformative role of civic education in ELA classrooms and teacher preparation programs, focusing on social justice, critical literacy, and activism. This collection redefines what it means to be civically engaged in the twenty-first century and offers actionable insights for educators, community leaders, and anyone interested in empowering young people to create more equitable and inclusive societies. Join the conversation and learn how, outside the classroom, young people are building the futures they deserve.