Crossing the Canyon:
Reinventing Life After High School
For youth seeking economic mobility, self-exploration and belonging, and societal legitimacy, the path from high school graduation to adulthood has become increasingly difficult.
"It's a cliff you fall off ... it's like, okay, figure it out from here to employment."
"Because I was first generation, I knew I didn't have the network or connections. I knew that going through college, maybe that's how I can get my foot into this, like, entire world of opportunities and the professional world — the workforce."
"People think it's just a money issue. It's not just a money issue. It's like, yes, money is the gateway, but then after that, like what's on the other side? Like, do you feel like you got your people and you feel like you got your support networks, all these kinds of things?"
"I got to the point of feeling like I can't not go to college... It didn't feel right to me as a Black kid to not go to college. That just didn't sit right with me. Parents are always saying — especially for those from lower income and maybe barely made it out of high school — they see [college as] their only way."
Our 2024 ethnographic research led us to create a framework for adults and organizations to better support this generation of youth.
For youth seeking economic mobility, self-exploration and belonging, and societal legitimacy, the path from high school graduation to adulthood has become increasingly difficult.
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