As we step into 2025, it’s impossible to ignore the uncertainty many changemakers feel. A new presidential administration brings significant challenges, raising fears about the threats faced by vulnerable communities. However, this moment also calls us to focus on what we can influence and the opportunities to drive meaningful change.
Here are four key trends shaping social changemaking in the year ahead – and how you can leverage them for impact.
1. Telling Stories That Inspire Hope
Storytelling is central to how we engage and mobilize people. While the challenges we face require honesty, stories rooted in fear and despair can leave audiences feeling overwhelmed or hopeless.
This year, the most powerful stories will blend realism with hope. These are the narratives that show progress, resilience, and what’s possible when communities take action.
Take Action
→ Research suggests that hope sustains engagement. When people believe change is achievable, they’re more likely to stay involved and act. So, ask yourself: Are the stories you tell fueling action and optimism, or leaving people paralyzed? Incorporate into your communications stories that energize, empower, and remind people of their ability to create a better world.
2. Youth Leadership and Intergenerational Partnerships
Young people are stepping into leadership roles like never before. Generation Z and Generation Alpha are reshaping activism, bringing digital fluency and bold visions to issues like climate justice, racial equity, and mental health.
Consider this: A study by the United Way of the National Capital Area found that 32% of Gen Zers are regularly involved in activism or social justice work. This generation’s drive to act is inspiring – but they can’t do it alone.
But here’s the key: We need partnerships across generations. Some of the most impactful work I see happening right now combines the innovative spirit of younger changemakers with the experience and institutional knowledge of older generations. This is about mentorship that goes both ways – learning from each other’s strengths.
Take Action
→ Whether you’re a young leader or a seasoned one, ask: How can I show up as both a mentor and a student in cross-generational spaces?
3. The Rise of Community-Led Initiatives
Trust in institutions remains low, but communities are stepping up with local, grassroots solutions. From mutual aid networks to participatory budgeting, hyper-local efforts are addressing challenges in ways that resonate deeply with those directly impacted. The power of community-led work lies in its ability to restore trust, foster collaboration, and create lasting impact.
Take Action →
- If you’re part of a community-based organization, emphasize your local roots in your messaging and appeal to people’s sense of agency to shape their own neighborhood or city.
- If you’re not already supporting these efforts, consider donating to or partnering with grassroots groups. These initiatives succeed because they’re co-created with the people they serve, ensuring solutions meet real needs.
4. Leveraging AI for Social Change
Artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping the way we work, and in 2025, changemakers will continue exploring its role in their efforts. As AI’s presence grows, so do conversations about its opportunities, limitations, and ethical considerations in the social impact space.
There are important questions to answer: Who has access to AI tools? How do we avoid reinforcing biases or widening digital divides? How is the climate being impacted? Changemakers must advocate for equitable, sustainable use while exploring how AI can amplify impact.
Take Action
→ As you experiment with AI, do so with intention. Consider AI tools in the context of your overall mission and organizational values. Change is happening fast, and as social change leaders, we have an opportunity to set a standard for others to follow.
These trends remind us that while the challenges ahead are real, so too are the opportunities to make a difference. Which of these themes resonates with you most? How can you bring them into your work?
To hear more about this topic, check out our recent episode of the How to Change the World podcast, “Changing the World in 2025: 5 Bold Predictions.”
Thank you for all you do to change the world – we’re in this together.