This week, Gen Z activist Olivia Julianna joins Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to discuss the importance of political engagement and the pursuit of social justice at an incredibly difficult moment in our history. Together, they explore how a rising generation of young leaders is doing critical work to address systemic injustice and inequality – and the influential role that faith and faith communities can play in fueling that activism and change.
Olivia, known for her work in reproductive rights and advocacy, discusses her journey as a young activist and the challenges and triumphs she has already experienced. She emphasizes the importance of using one’s voice and platform to create meaningful impact, and the necessity of working together to build a more just and compassionate society. Olivia discusses how her faith informs her activism – and helps give her the strength and energy to persist in her work no matter what obstacles are thrown her way.
I posted a video where I said if Jesus, Mary, and Joseph showed up at your door and asked for a place in the inn, would you welcome them into your home? Or would you say, “Show me your papers”? And this woman, she’s a conservative, she responded to me. She said, “If three strangers showed up at my home in the middle of the night, I would answer the door with a gun.”Do you not understand how insane you sound? Do you not understand how warped your view of religion has become? … I’m like, do you not realize that you are the false prophets that we are warned about in the Bible, do you understand that?
– Olivia Julianna, abortion rights activist, democracy organizer, and political influencer from Houston, Texas. With over 1 million followers across TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram, her content has accumulated over 1 billion views, putting youth voices front and center in the fight for our future. She rose to national prominence for initiating the takedown of a whistleblower website that targeted those in the state of Texas who aided in abortion access, and raised $2.2 million for abortion funds after she was publicly attacked by Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz. Olivia spoke at the 2024 Democratic National Convention about the complexities of her religious upbringing while championing progressive causes. An influential force on social media, more of Olivia’s work can be found on her Substack.