Radical imagination serves as an essential pathway to liberation.

Hey Advocates!

Radical imagination is something that I am beginning to study more and more. I believe that radical imagination can be a catalyst for belonging and empowerment in marginalized students. The great Eminem said, “The truth is you don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow. Life is a crazy ride, and nothing is guaranteed.”. I know you may be side-eyeing me for quoting Eminem, but let’s be for real for real…Em got bars for days, and this quote, for me, says that I can live life like I already know how it’s going to happen or I can life like I imagine it to be. For marginalized students, this ride, through life, can feel like an endless roller coaster. Radical imagination is like strapping on an invisible seatbelt. It helps them dream up futures without limitations and envision lives where their identities are celebrated, not sidelined.

Imagine if our schools were like those amusement parks where you get to design your own rollercoaster. Radical imagination allows students to be the architects of their own wild rides, taking them to places they never thought they’d go. It’s about creating a world where they not only feel they belong but also feel like VIPs in their own story. Schools that encourage students to envision new realities give them the freedom to rewrite the rules and say, "Hold on tight, world. We’re just getting started." When I was a little girl, I used to get the huge Sears and JCPenney catalogs and imagine the clothes hanging in my closet. When nice cars would drive by, my cousins, siblings, and I would play “That’s my car”, and we would have a ball imagining. I’ll be transparent, coming from a marginalized background, I never thought I would be able to afford those clothes or those cars, but it was so much fun not being limited to my very present reality, at that time. We would stay outside and play for hours, claiming cars we never thought we would have, talking about our future homes and furniture, and even imagining what our children would be like. Radical imagination helped me to thrive in my childhood. I loved school, because I knew school was a gateway to that radical imagination I had. How often are we allowing our school-age children to experience radical imagination? Could the absence of radical imagination be why there is a heightened and alarming rate of school aversion and school avoidance?

For students who come from marginalized backgrounds, especially those who experience oppression, radical imagination serves as an essential pathway to liberation. More than just a creative outlet, this capacity enables them to conceive possibilities beyond immediate circumstances, envisioning transformative futures unrestricted by the barriers that have long constrained their communities. Radical imagination is not only about envisioning different lives; it’s about reshaping what can be. It forms a vital bridge from limitation to potential, where students see themselves as belonging to a world that values their unique perspectives and contributions. When we nurture this potential in marginalized students, we empower them to claim their rightful space in any environment they encounter.

Radical imagination also instills a sense of agency and confidence. Instead of accepting narratives that might position them as powerless or invisible, students with active, radical imaginations cultivate narratives of self-worth, capability, and possibility. When schools invest in helping these students think beyond current realities, it deepens their sense of inclusion, allowing them to feel truly connected to a system that often feels alien or exclusive. This investment underscores that their dreams, aspirations, and visions are worth fostering. Radical imagination enables students to visualize themselves as changemakers and gives them permission to believe that they can bring about change, both in their lives and in the broader world.

Belonging is a core human need, and radical imagination enables marginalized students to feel it in schools, where they may otherwise feel isolated. When students are encouraged to imagine a world that values their identity, experiences, and contributions, they see themselves as integral to that world. By validating students’ imaginations, schools send a powerful message: “You matter here, and so does the future you envision.” Radical imagination gives students the courage to feel accepted, reminding them they have value and belong even in spaces traditionally lacking inclusivity.

So how do you empower students to radically imagine? I have a few ideas. Take the meat and leave the bones. In other words, use what you feel feeds your practice and discard the rest. 

1. Create Safe Spaces for Expression

For students to imagine boldly, they need spaces that make them feel valued and safe. Schools should offer inclusive environments where students’ identities are respected, from cultural backgrounds to gender expressions. Creating safe spaces means establishing classroom environments that encourage open expression without fear of judgment or reprisal. Small discussion groups, affinity clubs, and mentorship programs are ideal for students to connect with peers, mentors, and community leaders who share similar experiences and challenges. Within these spaces, students can voice concerns, articulate dreams, and envision possibilities without the constraints of societal expectations. These safe spaces allow students to dream openly, strengthening their sense of inclusion and showing them they are valued and accepted as they are.

2. Encourage Visionary Storytelling and Project-Based Learning

What if the change(s) we want to see lie in the imaginations of our students? Project-based learning provides students with a practical and immersive way to cultivate imagination by focusing on real-world issues that they care about. In designing projects around themes of community, identity, or global justice, schools allow students to envision the changes they’d like to see. Students could create multimedia projects, write narratives, or produce art that explores these themes, making space for them to tell the stories that matter most to them. Storytelling exercises, particularly those that ask students to imagine futures for themselves and their communities, instill a belief in their ability to influence change and it enhances community pride. When students are encouraged to be authors of their own narratives, it builds a sense of empowerment and reinforces their place in a world they actively shape.

3. Incorporate Diverse Representation in Curriculum

This is a strategy that is often repeated, because it is still not being addressed in ways that reinforce radical imagination. Students become who and what they see, which is a very bittersweet truth., depending on what and who they are modeling after. A curriculum that reflects the diversity of students' identities and backgrounds validates their experiences and broadens their vision of what’s possible. When marginalized students see people like themselves represented in literature, history, science, math, and art, it expands their understanding of their potential and invites them to imagine themselves in varied roles. Curating materials, that highlight underrepresented voices and showcase achievements of those who have transcended marginalization, is meaningful and impactful. By learning about people from similar backgrounds who dared to dream, students gain permission to imagine boldly and recognize that they, too, belong in the larger narrative.

4. Provide Access to Creative and Experiential Learning Opportunities

Move beyond. Move beyond the classroom. Move beyond the local sites. Move beyond local norms. A school that excels at this is the Ron Clark Academy, in Atlanta, GA. This school does a phenomenal job of moving students beyond the city of Atlanta and the state of Georgia. They allow students to connect with the globe, by taking students on international trips while still expecting and encouraging students to have pride in our beautiful country. Creative learning experiences invite students to explore identity, express themselves freely, and visualize new possibilities. Schools can enhance radical imagination by offering arts programs, theater, creative writing, music, and digital storytelling. Opportunities in performing arts, for example, encourage students to explore alternative perspectives, embody different roles, and understand that there is a world beyond their own experiences. Similarly, experiential learning such as field trips, community service, and cultural exchange programs expose students to new environments, widening their perspectives and sparking creativity. These activities cultivate radical imagination by allowing students to experience the world beyond their familiar realities, empowering them to see themselves as active participants in an expansive society.

5. Encourage Community Engagement and Civic Education

Home is where the heart is. Our students should have love for their local communities. If you want to know the pulse of any community, my recommendation is to holistically view the children in the community. Schools can inspire radical imagination by encouraging students to become active participants in their communities. Civic education that promotes engagement with social issues demonstrates to students that they have the power to contribute meaningfully to the world. Schools can offer programs that connect students with community leaders, involve them in local government, or create student-led initiatives aimed at addressing social challenges. Civic activities teach students about the structures and issues that shape society and challenge them to think critically about what they want to change. This participation strengthens students’ self-perception as influential individuals who can reshape their communities. When students are trusted to engage with their communities, they feel that their voices matter, increasing their sense of belonging and their belief in their capacity to make a difference.

Radical imagination remains a transformative force for marginalized students, essential in helping them break through societal limitations and envision expansive futures. When schools foster this capacity, they don’t just enhance students’ creativity; they instill confidence, pride, and a profound sense of self-worth. In valuing these students’ dreams and equipping them to imagine alternative realities, schools communicate that every student has a vital place in shaping the future. Radical imagination, in this way, is more than vision—it is liberation, belonging, and empowerment woven together in one. It is innocence and wholeness. It is possibility and hope. It is glitter and confetti. Who doesn’t love confetti? 

Let’s tap into our childhood: What will you radically imagine this week?

Written By: Sholanda Smith, Content Creator Leading Equity Center