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RAINBOW PUSH COALITION

RESEARCH REPORT: RESEARCH AND DATA INSIGHTS

OBJECTIVE: Compile a research report for the Rainbow PUSH Coalition better understand how Gen Z consumes social media and engages with social justice organizations. The overarching goal was to provide actionable insights and strategies for increasing Gen Z’s engagement and participation in the organization’s mission for social justice and equity.

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APPROACH: Develop insights and strategic recommendations through primary research, secondary research, social media audits, and a survey analysis. 

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OUTCOME: The project produced a series of research-backed recommendations with a foundational strategy to bridge generational communication gaps while leveraging Gen Z’s digital fluency and activism. This outcome was achieved through prioritizing short-form content, personal storytelling, and adopting multi-channel outreach strategies. 

WHAT IS RAINBOW PUSH?

The Rainbow PUSH Coalition (RPC) is a multi-racial, multi-issue, progressive, international membership organization fighting for social change. Founded by Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.

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Headquartered in Chicago, with regional offices across the United States, the coalition’s mission is to protect, defend, and gain civil rights by leveling economic and educational playing fields, and to promote peace and justice globally. It accomplishes this through grassroots advocacy, research on key policy issues, public seminars, and awareness campaigns addressing concerns such as jobs and economic empowerment, educational access, voter registration, employee rights, housing, media fairness, political empowerment, affirmative action, gender equality, and environmental justice.

BUSINESS PROBLEM

Communication Gaps: Gen Z is underrepresented in Rainbow PUSH’s digital following and content.

 

Platform Fragmentation: Current social content doesn’t align with Gen Z’s habits or platforms.

 

Authentic Connection: Grow awareness, trust, and participation from Gen Z.

RESEARCH Q'S

1. Generation Z's reaction to social justice movements: How do they differ from previous generations? What causes do they care about? How do they show activism?

2. What values, messages, or visual styles most effectively capture Gen Z’s attention and drive interaction on social media?

METHODS

SECONDARY RESEARCH

  • Pew Research Center

  • McKinsey 

  • Sprout Social Reports

  • Research Journals

SOCIAL AUDIT

  • Comparative analysis of Rainbow PUSH with orgs like NAACP & ACLU

GEN Z SURVEY

3. How can the Rainbow PUSH Coalition build trust and long-term engagement with Gen Z audiences through its digital presence?

  • Platform usage

  • Content preferences

  • Brand familiarity 

  • Motivations for engagement

GEN Z ENGEGAMENT

Prioritize transparency and show real impact in communications.

 

Offer consistent, meaningful opportunities for involvement, not just donations.

 

Use cause-based appeals over organization-based appeals.

 

Implement multi-channel outreach and clear role-based engagement.

 

Segmented strategies help large organizations tailor messaging; smaller orgs can optimize existing projects (Lewis, 2019).

Source: American Student Assistance

CROSS-PLATFORM
BEHAVIORS

PARTICIPATION

Gen Z behaviors on social media: Gen Z typically uses social media for:

 

  • Entertainment & Escapism

  • Communication & Convenience

  • Social Interaction & Support

  • Information Seeking & Sharing

 

Social media is deeply woven into Gen Z’s lives, driven by emotional connection and personal relevance (Buzzetto-Hollywood, Banks, & Hill, 2024).

Source: UnitedWayNCA.org

Digital activism dominates

 

Gen Z main concerns are...

  • Mental Health

  • Economic

  • Social

  • Environmental

  • Humanity & Civil Rights focused

 

Activism = driven by frustration

Source: UnitedWayNCA.org

MOTIVATION

80%

of Gen Z wouldn’t work for a company that doesn’t share the same values

“Constant exposure to grim realities has primed Gen Zers to deal with hardship proactively” (Carnegie, 2022).

Democracy is declining at its steepest rate for those ages 18-34 years old (BBC, 2022).

INSIGHTS & TAKEAWAYS PT.1

Bridging Passions:

  • Encourages mentorship and leadership development.

Context and Purpose:

Growing youth apathy has created a need for programs that foster civic engagement.

Culture of Service:

  • Focused on addressing overlooked community needs.

Gen Z & Civic Engagement:

  • Gen Z is more civically active than past generations.

  • 40.8 million are eligible to vote in 2024.

  • They are socially conscious, tech-savvy, and use social media for activism.

Modern Civic Leadership:

  • A catalyst for social change

  • Connects people and passions

  • Cultivates a lasting culture of service

INSIGHTS & TAKEAWAYS PT.2

Gen Z Is Diverse and Values Diversity:

 

  • Over 74 million Gen Z individuals in the U.S.

  • Most racially and ethnically diverse generation in U.S. history.

  • On track to be the most well-educated generation.

  • Will be the last predominantly white generation in the U.S.

  • 22% of Gen Zers have at least one immigrant parent (vs. 14% of Millennials).

  • Projected to become majority non-white by 2026.

Themes from Student Perspectives

 

  • Catalyst of Social Change: Requires courage and stepping out of comfort zones to understand community needs.

  • Bridging People and Passions: Encourages mentoring and developing future leaders for sustainable impact.

  • Culture of Service: Students want to address neglected community issues and create lasting change.

Gen Z and Technology

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  • Digital Natives: Grew up with smartphones and online communication.

  • Online Lives: Childhood milestones often shared digitally.

  • Always Connected: Online multiple times daily.

  • Social Media Habits:

    • Top platforms: YouTube, TikTok, Instagram.

    • 35% spend 4+ hours daily on social media.

Gen Z and Important Issues

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  • Generally progressive and pro-government

  • Less likely to believe in xenophobic ideas or American exceptionalism

  • Highly conscious of:

    • Racial justice and equality

    • Climate change

    • Global unrest and geopolitical crises

    • Economic disparities

STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS

CONTENT THAT WORKS

 

Short-form videos (e.g., TikTok, Instagram Reels)

 

Mini Explainers: 30-second Reels that break down civic terms (like gerrymandering or voter suppression) using fun visuals, music, and Gen Z narrators

 

Behind-the-Scenes at PUSH Events: Show organizing, setup, and people’s reactions in the moment with trending audios and captions

 

Infographics and carousel posts for educational content

  • Personal stories that humanize messages

    • Testimonial Tuesday: Share stories from students who benefited from PUSH Excel scholarships (Include quotes and photos or video clips)

    • “Why I Push” Campaign: Feature community members, interns, or volunteers explaining why they’re involved in the organization in 60-second videos

    • Alumni Spotlights: Tell stories of those who started with PUSH as youth and are now community leaders, educators, or organizers

  • User-generated content (UGC) for authenticity

    • #MyPushMoment Challenge: Invite young people to post videos or photos of when they first got involved in activism, tagging Rainbow PUSH

    • Repost & Reshare: Actively share TikTok explainers about social justice made by Gen Z follower

BENEFITS OF CROSS-POSTING

 

If members of the community are guest speaking with Rainbow PUSH, we recommend coordinating cross-posting opportunities with their social media accounts.

 

This is mutually beneficial and will help to extend your reach across audiences. It will also help your partners connect with your audience.

 

Currently, posts with the most engagement are cross-posts with Rev. Jackson’s account.

INCREASING ENGAGAMENT

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Utilizing the 5-3-1 method to gain new followers:

5

like 5 posts

3

comment on 3 posts

1

gain 1 new follower

Along with cross-posting, it’s important to engage with your own community. We’d recommend responding to most, if not all, comments on social media posts. This will work with the algorithm and help boost your posts to your own followers and help you find new ones.Additionally, reels that are between 60-90 seconds generate 24% more shares.

Source: Brandwatch & Social Pilot

AMBASSADOR PROGRAM

 

Recruit Gen Z students as local/campus ambassadors

 

Empower them to create and post content, host events, and facilitate discussions

 

Builds grassroots trust and decentralizes engagement

SCAN QR CODE TO TAKE SURVEY

SURVEY DESIGN & RATIONALE

 

Awareness & Familiarity

  • Assess brand awareness with the question: “Have you heard of Rainbow PUSH Coalition?”

 

Platform Behavior

  • Understand where Gen Z spends time online: “Which platforms do you use regularly?”

  • Discover where they learn about social causes

 

Content Preferences

  • Identify formats Gen Z enjoys (videos, infographics, etc.)

  • Clarify what earns their trust and loyalty

 

Influence & Motivation

  • Pinpoint peer influence and trusted messengers

  • Find what motivates action: event attendance, donations, or sharing

*CLICK HERE FOR THE PRESENTATION DECK

*CLICK HERE FOR THE CLIENT HANDOUT

*CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL RESEARCH REPORT

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