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How Bolivia's Kids Are Exploited By a Failing Labor Law

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In 2014, Bolivia passed labor legislation allowing children from the age of 10 to work legally. Now, many fear it is not working

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Rising Stars: The Young Activists against Child Labour - Amazons Watch Magazine

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By Tanya Maswaure Starting on the 15th of May 2022, the 5th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour launched in Durban, South Africa. This particular one was unique from its predecessors; not only was it on the African Soil for the first time, but it was the first time children were involved in

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* Craig Kielburger is the founder of Free the Children, a movement to stop the process of child labor around the world. Kielburger's story starts when he found out about Iqbal Masih, a four year old boy in Pakistan working in a carpet factory.

* Kielburger encourages more young people to get involved in activism just like he did. Is there more opportunity now with social media and youth-led movements for young people to start creating real social change?

* Read about the child labor laws in the U.S. that do not protect children.

Iqbal Masih was sold to a Pakistani carpet factory when he was four years old as collateral on a loan his parents had taken out to pay for their eldest son's wedding. For six years, Iqbal worked 12 hour days, six days a week, tying the tiny knots that make up the expensive Pakistani carpets coveted by tourists.

Seven thousand miles from Pakistan, however, another 12 year-old boy committed Iqbal's story to memory, an act that marked the birth of a youth-driven movement against child labor that would span 20 countries.

Craig Kielburger was searching through a Toronto newspaper for the comics when a photo of Iqbal caught his eye. He read Iqbal's story and held it up as a mirror to his own life in Canada - going to school, hanging out with friends, running with the cross country team. What he saw reflected back at him were profound differences between the two.

With the dawning realization that slavery was still very much in existence, Craig Kielburger photocopied the article on Iqbal Masih and gathered statistics on child labor at the local library. With all the idealism and zeal of youth, he spoke to his class about what he had learned, and his crusade against child labor had begun.

The Kielburger home eventually became the world headquarters for Free the Children (FTC), a nonprofit organization that works to abolish child labor practices worldwide. Today, over 100,000 children in 27 countries - including Canada, the US, Mexico, India, Brazil, Ghana, and Pakistan - have been involved in FTC activities, and the organization receives thousands of letters each week from children who want to get involved.
Read the full article on child labor from Prodios at Medium.

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How a 12-Year-Old Worked to Stop Child Labor

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Craig Kielburger is the founder of Free the Children, a movement to stop the process of child labor around the world. Kielburger's story starts when he found out about Iqbal Masih, a four year old boy in Pakistan working in a carpet factory. Kielbur

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cnn.com-This teen makes adorable bow ties to help get shelter dogs and cats adopted.pdf

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Zoe Rosenberg is a well known Animal Rights Activist in California, and the founder of Happy Hen Animal Sanctuary.

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Powerful Lessons from a Bullied Teen | Aaliyah Ghotra | TEDxOneonta

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Emily-Anne Rigal was recently ranked as one of Newsweek 's 150 Most Fearless Women in the World. She's received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award from President Obama. And Lady Gaga has called the 19-year old her hero.

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So, what is the college student doing that's making such a splash?

Rigal is the founder of We Stop Hate, nonprofit dedicated to ending bullying by raising teens' self-esteem. Through posts on YouTube and other social media channels, the site gives bullying victims from all corners of the world a chance to open up about their experiences in a judgment-free zone.

In honor of National Bullying Prevention Month, we spoke with Rigal about her efforts fighting back against bullying and starting an organization at age 16.

What was your motivation to found We Stop Hate?

When I was in elementary school, I was bullied so badly that I had to switch schools. At my new school, I developed a new group of friends who became an amazing source of encouragement. The happier and more supported I felt, the more I wanted to help others feel that same way. So I started posting videos on YouTube to stand up for other kids who were bullied to give all of us a voice and provide a source of support.

You started the organization when you were just in high school-which couldn't have been easy! What were the greatest obstacles you faced?

The biggest challenge that I faced was not having a road map of what to do next and having to figure it all out along the way. The two things I knew when I started We Stop Hate was that I loved YouTube as a medium and that I had a real passion for spreading this message, since it was so personal to me.

I remember thinking, "Can I start this organization? I'm only 16!" Now, seeing what has happened and what the organization has grown into has been amazing.

We all know bullying doesn't necessarily stop after finishing school. What advice do you have for professionals who may be dealing with bullying in the workplace?

First, you have to realize that bullies have their own issues, insecurities, and agendas. What they say is not what matters, it's how you interpret and react to the situation. Having a small group of co-workers who are supportive and can help you keep focused on the work is important.

What is your top tip for people who are having a tough time at work to boost their confidence back up?

Do esteemable acts! Whether it's complimenting someone or making a small gesture that can boost another person's confidence, it will in return change how you are feeling about yourself for the better!

How can others help you on your mission with We Stop Hate?

I am really excited for the next phase of We Stop Hate, in which we are taking We Stop Hate into schools and starting Anti-Bullying Clubs so that kids can have that in-person support.

We also just kicked off a partnership with The Body Shop Foundation whereby proceeds from the sale of the company's Dragon Fruit Lip Butter will go to three nonprofit organizations-one of which being We Stop Hate. The organization with the most votes gets the largest amount of proceeds, so we have our fingers crossed! To vote, visit The Body Shop on Facebook.

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Emily-Anne Rigal: The 19-Year-Old Who's Banishing Bullying

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Ranked as one of Newsweek's "150 Most Fearless Women in the World," Emily-Anne Rigal is taking a stand against bullying.

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How A Texas Teen Turned Bias and Body-Shaming into Advocacy and Action (Opinion)

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A 19-year-old student activist can teach educators lessons about how to inform and empower students.

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Wear the signature orange tee to inspire others to act with kindness, acceptance inclusion on Unity Day (Wed., Oct. 18) and every day, all year long.

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Young Activists All In on Animal Protection | Animal Welfare Institute

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In 2009, when Carter and Olivia Ries of Fayetteville, Georgia, were just 8 and 7 years old, they founded One More Generation (OMG) to educate children and adults about the plight of endangered species. They first got interested in starting their own organization after an aunt presented them with adoption certificates for baby cheetahs from a rescue

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Best Friends Animal Society - Save Them All

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Pets around the country have these kids to thank for making their lives better.

It's no secret that kids love animals, so it should come as no surprise when they go the extra mile to help pets. Meet some young people who are doing just that.

Full of inspiration and positivity, Best Friends magazine is full of uplifting tales, gorgeous photos and helpful advice.

When you become a member of Best Friends Animal Society by making a donation of $25 or more to the animals, you'll receive Best Friends magazine for a year. Inside, you'll read about what Best Friends is doing to save the lives of homeless pets nationwide.

Some entrepreneurs are made; others are born. It's clear that Julian Lin falls into the latter category since he's been interested in business from the age of 4. That's when he got his first job at a fruit stand in New York City, handing out bags, restocking produce, and sweeping the sidewalk. Then, during the pandemic, he started a meal delivery service, called J's DINR, for his neighbors. But that wasn't enough for this youngster because he soon opened two seasonal food stands, J's Lemonade and J's Hot Chocolate, and he donates 30% of his net profits to pets in shelters. "I love animals," he says. "My goal is to end all world hunger and homelessness for people and dogs." And who's going to argue with a vision for the future like that? Certainly not us.

To help meet that goal, 8-year-old Julian has donated to several rescue groups, including Beastly Rescue in New York City and Best Friends, for which he raised $5,300. (Part of that, by the way, came from the donations he received after his stand was robbed.) In fact, a few months ago, he presented a check from his earnings earlier in the year to Best Friends' downtown Manhattan location. And since the Maui wildfires, he has raised more than $10,000 - donating a third each to the Maui Humane Society, the Maui United Way, and a friend who lost his home.

[Young entrepreneur brings generosity to adoptable pets]

So what sets Julian's lemonade apart? "I serve it with popping boba, fruity balls that pop in your mouth," he says, and he adds fresh mint or lemon slices. Plus, dogs who come to the stand get free treats. And his signature hot chocolate? Called the Hangry, it features whipped cream, two candy canes, three gingerbread men, four scoops of marshmallows, chocolate syrup, and Oreo cookie crumbles. "It's for when you're really 'hangry,'" he says.

To support Julian's business while helping Best Friends, you can purchase branded merchandise (30% goes to Best Friends) at julianbusinessman.com. If you want to know where his stands will be located, get on his mailing list by emailing ceo@julianbusinessman.com.

Tag, you're it!

After adopting a dog from a shelter in 2017 and another from a rescue group in 2018, Kenny Yip of Tampa, Florida, noticed they had something in common: Neither came with an ID tag. Of course, he rushed to a pet store to get tags in case one of his dogs got loose accidentally, but that inspired a thought. Kenny says, "Wouldn't it be great if they had come with tags, so we wouldn't have had to be in a hurry to get one?"

Fast-forward to the start of this year. Now 16, Kenny recognized that rescue organizations need free pet tags, and that's when he got the idea for Wags for Tags. The 501(c)(3) organization offers free custom-engraved pet ID tags to rescue groups and shelters that are registered 501(c)(3) charities. On the front, he engraves the organization's name and phone number, while the back contains Wags for Tags' information. "Because dogs and cats are most likely to get lost in a transitional period, my hope is that cats and dogs wear them to their new adoptive homes and while in foster care," Kenny says. "In case they do get lost, someone can quickly call the rescue or shelter they came from, and the animals can get the assistance they need."

In the short time that Wags for Tags has been around, 11 organizations in Florida, Georgia, and Illinois have signed up for free tags. Since April, more than 1,100 tags have been distributed. Kenny is able to fund them through donations and custom engraving. "I ask rescues to let new pet parents know that I custom-engrave and ship high-quality, stainless-steel pet ID tags for a $10 donation," he says. The purchase of one tag helps pay for about 15 tags for rescue groups.

Shelters and rescue groups interested in signing up for Wags for Tags can visit wagsfortags.org. Kenny asks anybody who has participated to give a shout-out to Wags for Tags on social media and share photos of their animal wearing the tag.

Scouting out their mission

For a decade, 11 girls have made up Girl Scout Troop 1019 in Madison, Wisconsin, and from the start, one focus has united them. "They've always loved animals," says their troop leader, Karen Ball. "We've spent a lot of time getting to know animals through horseback riding, zoo visits, and animal handlers talking to our group. Eventually, the goal became how we can help animals."

Throughout the years, the troop has worked with or visited their local humane society, Heartland Farm Sanctuary, Primates Incorporated, and the International Owl Center. "We'll do whatever these centers need, whether that's rehabbing enclosures, making blankets, or cleaning," Karen says.

Yet the stand-out activity might be volunteering at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. For five days last June, the troop did everything from pulling weeds and deep-cleaning several indoor areas to playing with the pigs and hosting a dog for a sleepover in the Sanctuary's cabins. "Helping the animals is important because I believe they're some of the purest souls on this Earth, and they deserve the utmost love and respect," says Lucy Beckett-Ball, 16, one of the troop members. "My heart hurts for any animal who hasn't been shown that, and Best Friends has done a beautiful job of helping those animals live a life full of love."

Music to their ears

If you've ever walked into an animal shelter, you know how loud the dogs' barking can be. Unless, that is, they're listening to Yuvi Agarwal's relaxing piano music. Every week for 45 to 60 minutes, 10-year-old Yuvi plays his piano for the animals in the Houston Pets Alive shelter in Texas.

Yuvi got the idea after watching his dog Bozo react to the piano. Even though he's a playful, energetic dog, Bozo relaxes as soon as Yuvi starts playing. "Bozo likes any soft, melodious music," he says, adding that he loves to compose music on the go, all of which is easy on the ears. That inspired him to create Wild Tunes, an initiative to bring music therapy to animals in shelters. "A lot of shelter animals have had a difficult past," Yuvi says. "Maybe they were abandoned, surrendered, or neglected, but they haven't done anything wrong and deserve as much love and kindness as any other pet or human."

When Yuvi arrives at the shelter, the dogs are barking, but they stop as they relax and listen to his music. There's a reason for this. "Research shows that music reduces stress in dogs," he says. "It lowers their cortisol levels, a chemical that makes them hyper and anxious and triggers restlessness."

To say that he's made a lot of canine friends is an understatement. Take Toby, for instance, a dog who came to the shelter with major injuries, including a broken jaw and a missing left eye. At first, Toby was shy, but the more he saw Yuvi and heard his music, the more he warmed up. Soon, Toby became one of the friendliest dogs at the shelter, which led to him being adopted. "My music helped him readjust to humans," Yuvi says.

Yuvi is hoping to spread Wild Tunes throughout the country. Shelters can visit wildtunes.org [wildtunes.org] to sign up for the program. Kids - and even adults - can then find a shelter in their area that's registered for Wild Tunes and volunteer to play music for the animals. "By using their talent, they can make a difference in the lives of shelter animals," Yuvi says.

Protecting pets via the law

Numerous cities have laws about companion animals being left outside. But in the town of Babylon, New York, the laws were lax. The Teen Wildlife Protectors club at Half Hollow Hills High School decided to do something about it. "We're all big animal lovers and have advocated for rescues and other organizations, but we'd never tackled the issue of animal abuse by pet owners," says 17-year-old Bennett Vogel, who first brought up the issue with the club.

In hopes of initiating change, the club members reached out to local legislators and got an immediate response from an official who put them in touch with the Babylon Animal Shelter. This issue had already been on everybody's minds, but "it was the club who pushed it over the edge," Bennett says.

[Help animals and start saving lives in your community today]

Thanks to the club's work, a new law was passed to give protection to companion animals left outdoors. The law states that in inclement weather, dogs can't be tied up for longer than one continuous hour in any continuous 12-hour period and must be given adequate food, water, and shelter while restrained. The restraint must have swivels at both ends that's an adequate length for the type, age, and size of the dog being restrained. Punishment for violating any part of the law starts with a $250 fine or imprisonment of up to 15 days.

"Our group is proud that we made a difference in the lives of animals," Bennett says. "It was very gratifying to be part of the legislative process to create a law that protects the things we love the most."

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill by 2025. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets.

Shelter staff can't do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone's responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.

Make your community no-kill by 2025

Last year, hundreds of thousands of loving dogs and cats were killed in shelters around the country just because they didn't have a safe place to call home.

You can help save homeless pets

You can help end the killing in shelters and save the lives of homeless pets when you foster, adopt, and advocate for the dogs and cats who need it most.

Foster a pet

Fostering a homeless pet is a short-term commitment with a long-term impact. By opening your home to a cat for even a few days, you can save lives.

Adopt a pet

When you adopt a homeless dog or cat from a shelter or rescue group, you're making a lifesaving difference for a loving and grateful animal.

Advocate for pets

You can inspire and create local change to save the lives of dogs and cats, and to help keep them out of shelters by working with others in your community.

Saving lives around the country

Together, we're creating compassionate no-kill communities nationwide for pets and the people who care for them.

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Pets around the country have these kids to thank for making their lives better.

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Gen Z: How young people are changing activism

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Gen Z: How young people are changing activism

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Elijah McKenzie-Jackson was raised as a vegetarian on animal-welfare grounds. But at 10, he began to do more research and discovered the climate impact and greenhouse gas emissions associated with rearing livestock and making animal products. "At 14, I transitioned to veganism, which helped me understand why it can't just be personal change when fighting the climate crisis," he says.

He knew cutting out meat and animal products wasn't enough on its own, so at 15, McKenzie-Jackson amped up his activism efforts. He joined XR Youth, the UK-based independent wing of Extinction Rebellion, and since 2019, has been organising and participating in climate strikes with the UK Student Climate Network and the international movement Fridays for the Future. Now 18, McKenzie-Jackson has taken a one-year sabbatical from his schooling, after which he'll move to New York City to study sociology and fine art.

McKenzie-Jackson's experience of starting a life in activism at a young age - and going all in - is an increasingly common story among Gen Zers. Born between 1995 and 2010, this generation have already found themselves up against immense challenges as they make their way into adulthood: climate change, inequality and social unrest, political division, economic distress and more. It's already mobilised many of these young people into action. And although they are far from the first generation who've spoken up about injustice and other societal ills, technology has meant Gen Z's activism looks different than the movements of the past - which means their influence may be, too.
'I'm powered by the fact I have no other choice'
Activism has long been synonymous with youth culture. From the May 1968 protests in France, and demonstrations against the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement in the US, to the global Occupy movement and the Arab Spring of the late noughties, young people have a record of pushing forward social change. Gen Z is the latest chapter in the decades-long encyclopaedia of young activists, however this cohort appear to communicate, mobilise and rally support in a way that sets them apart from the generations before them.

Raised against the backdrop of the Great Recession of 2008, Gen Z has experienced a unique set of hurdles. Along with unprecedented societal unrest and division, their path to adulthood has been complicated by the pandemic, during which they've seen the rising impact of global inequality. Climate change is front and centre, threatening the future of the planet they will live on. And as the world economy enters a period of looming instability, Gen Z are increasingly bearing the brunt.

"The sense of crisis right now is amplified," says Jessica Taft, an associate professor of Latin American and Latino Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz whose work focuses on the political lives of children and youth across the Americas. "The extent of the climate crisis, the profound inequalities, the global creep of fascism - they are all existential threats." Of course, there have been countless perils in the past, however the potency and global nature of these historical moments is shaping young people's world views, and the role activism plays in their lives, she says.

Elijah McKenzie-Jackson began his activist journey at age 10 (Credit: Pamela Elizarraras Acitores)

Fuelling Gen Z's anxiety is the fact that they are exposed to news in a different way to their parents or grandparents at the same age; young people are consuming content around social issues and events almost constantly. With just a smartphone, people can access a 24/7 buffet of reporting through social media sites, search engines, news sites and TV. Social media is fast overtaking traditional news channels among young people. Instagram, TikTok and YouTube are now the top three most used sources for news for British teens, according to the broadcasting regulatory authority Ofcom, while older generations, who grew up consuming news through print, radio and TV still favour these traditional modes.

With tech-enabled devices providing constant access to news and user-generated content, escaping is no mean feat. Young people can't turn away from the discourse, so it's no wonder that many digital native Gen Zers are spurred to act on their societal grievances. They are mobilising out of fear and necessity. As 22-year-old American gun control activist and Parkland, Florida mass-shooting survivor David Hogg tweeted: "I'm not powered by hope. I'm powered by the fact I have no other choice."
More activists, starting younger
Constant exposure to grim realities has primed Gen Zers to deal with hardship proactively.

Global data from public-relations and research firm Edelman shows 70% of Gen Zers are involved in a social or political cause. And although not all the 10,000 people surveyed said they would call themselves fully fledged activists, they're still highly socially involved, advocating for causes they believe in through how they spend and earn. They're the most likely generation to boycott a product, company, country or state because of a political, social or environmental stance, which extends to how they pick employers, too. Just one in five would work for a company that fails to share their values.

Much of their activism is driven by frustration - some research shows they're generally more disillusioned with government and other forms of political participation than their elders were. The University of Cambridge has been gathering global data since 1973, and has found young people's faith in democratic politics is now lower than any other age group. Among 18-to-34-year-olds (a mix of Gen Z and millennials), satisfaction with democracy is declining at its steepest rate. For young people in developed democracies, economic exclusion is the biggest contributor to their waning faith in institutions. Struggling with higher debt burdens, lower odds of owning a home and greater challenges in starting a family, Gen Z's discontent only grows.

The pandemic certainly hasn't helped. According to research by the London School of Economics and Political Science, individuals who experience an epidemic, such as Covid-19, the Zika virus, Ebola or Sars, between the ages of 18 and 25 are likely to harbour negative attitudes toward the government and elections for a long time after the epidemic is over.

"While young individuals withdraw from formal politics - which is not that surprising, given their lack of trust - they also tend to increase their participation in the democratic process via alternative and more direct means," explains Orkun Saka, co-author of the paper, visiting fellow at LSE and assistant professor of economics at City, University of London. This includes activities such as attending demonstrations, protests, boycotts and signing petitions. Saka believes the silver lining of the post-epidemic decline in trust may lead young people to feel they would like to take matters in their own hands. "They may become more critical towards their political leaders and governments, which is not a bad consequence in and of itself," says Saka.

Particularly notable is the age at which Gen Z's activism begins - in general, earlier than the generations that have come before them. Greta Thunberg launched her first protest outside the Swedish parliament at 15, which Subir Sinha, a lecturer in the theory and politics of development at SOAS University of London, believes set off a domino effect, whereby young people had a role model who was angry, and with good reason. "She ... did not appear packaged," he says. "It is post-celebrity activism, whereby her ordinariness and lack of glamour is part of her appeal."

Many young activists have followed in her footsteps, gaining global recognition for speaking on climate change issues as young as eight, like Licypriya Kangujam from Manipur in India. At 10, she has just successfully campaigned to have all plastic pollution cleared from the area surrounding the Taj Mahal.

"The idea that there may not be a future, or if there is one, it could be heavily diminished, plays heavy on their minds," says Sinha. "Climate-change activism used to deal with abstract scientific concepts, but with annual forest fires, floods, drought and record heat, plus the news and social-media coverage of all this, we can feel climate accelerating and that adds to a sense of impending apocalypse."

This is why many young people, who see climate change as an existential threat in their lifetime, are participating so vocally in movements and demanding a seat at the table in global negotiations.
An audience at their fingertips
Gen Z activists and their older peers are united in their concern over the same issues - climate destruction, gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights - but their voices appear louder and more urgent because they have more ways to source inspiration, disseminate information and mobilise. While older generations set the precedent for grassroots activism and in-person demonstrations, Gen Zers have brought this activity into where they are most comfortable: digital spaces.

19-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg is one of the most high-profile Gen Z voices, whom experts believe has inspired other young people to take action (Credit: Alamy)

At their most basic function, digital spaces enable Gen Zers to develop their civic identities and express political stances in creative ways, from noting their sexual orientation in their Instagram bio, to joining groups aligning with their interests on the chat-room platform Discord. The online world offers somewhere for them to claim the agency they may not get in traditional civic spaces like their schools, universities or workplaces. A 2020 study from the UK Safer Internet Centre showed 34% of 8-to-17-year-olds say the internet has inspired them to take action about a cause and 43% say it makes them feel their voices matter.

The nature of this relationship makes it easier to then exercise one's civic identity and participate, both offline and online, in social change movements. From the comfort of a bedroom, someone can broadcast a message from a social media account, or build a new platform, without having to wait for a journalist to catch wind of it, or for a TV show to offer a primetime slot. While leafleting, telephone campaigns, word of mouth and canvassing might have been the catalysts for broadcasting a movement in decades before, now Gen Z can harness all this - and more. TikTok videos, hashtag movements like #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter, podcasts and ' hacktivism ' have expanded the mediums through which young people can speak out and be heard.

"There are newer mechanisms through which they are mobilising collectively and because of the pandemic, more emphasis has gone on organising remotely, which may not require people to get together physically in large numbers," says Sinha. He believes that what differentiates Gen Z from older generations is the proliferation of technology in young people's social and political activity, and how intuitively they use it. One minute they're reposting cat memes, the next they're flooding Starbucks with fake job applications in a stand against the company's decision to fire workers attempting to unionise.

"They understand certain mediums so much better, and know how to make things go viral in a way, unlike those of us who weren't born into computer and mobile phone culture," says Sinha. In contrast, he recalls working with fish workers in the 90s, who were rallying against the corporate trawling sector and its mechanic fisheries. Local communications had to be written as a letter, typed out and then faxed to all the movement's international branches.

Today, a movement like this would look dramatically different, he argues - both bigger and faster, since the internet and smartphones have now democratised - and sped up - the path to power and access to a voice as an activist. Jackson-McKenzie believes social media grants individuals access to their very own press tool. "This allows us to narrate our own stories, which is why I think Gen Z has succeeded in so many activism efforts," he says. "We are wholly interlinked to connect across the world."

With social media throwing the window wide on all forms of activism, Gen Z has the capacity to raise awareness about the issues disturbing them, even if the path to concrete change is still long. Still rooted in local struggles and realities, contemporary social movements are increasingly " glocal ", operating both globally and locally, with offline and online networks overlapping. Many of the recent youth-led street protests have been organised online, with Twitter, TikTok and Instagram serving as hubs for information and networking.

From the Arab Spring to Black Lives Matter, youth-led movements are gathering momentum through digital means and result in large-scale transnational protests. One notable example saw children from primary level upwards walk out of school to demand action against climate change in March 2019. The 1.4 million-strong School Strike for Climate - the largest of its kind in history - captured global attention through documenting local protests on Twitter, with this 'glocal' posting expanding its reach and encouraging others to organise their own versions. The strikes clearly had an effect, as concern about the climate crisis peaked in the same month the strikes took place.

In Lebanon, Nadine Khaouli usesTwitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to document and amplify her activist work (Credit: Courtesy of Nadine Khaouli)

Activism as identity

With technology collapsing Gen Z's personal identities into their activism, this sense of self may well follow them through their lives, having multiple impacts, and showing up in all kinds of spheres.

Social media has blended Gen Z's personal and professional lives, offering no delineation between who they are and how they advocate. Nadine Khaouli has been active in the volunteering and social action space since she was 13, and now runs a humanitarian non-profit Kafe Be Kafak (meaning 'hand in hand' in Arabic) alongside her full-time job as a youth delegate with the UN Development Program. On her personal social media accounts - Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn - she documents and amplifies her own views and progress as well as posts volunteering and job opportunities.

"I like to show my followers how we're facing the day-to-day hustle in Lebanon - it's about using my personal journey and my story to inspire the work I do," says Khaouli. "I don't feel the pressure of blurred personal and professional lives because my activism is so aligned with my mission to end poverty in Lebanon."

These indistinct boundaries feel natural for McKenzie-Jackson too, as he doesn't see his activism as a profession. "It's more of a community and family, versus a workplace, which is probably why so many of us are involved in movements," he says. "It's about getting impactful work done in a way that makes us feel fulfilled."

He believes finding friends and partners through activist networks, and inextricably linking their identities with their beliefs, means that those who are already invested are unlikely to end their involvement anytime soon. It will simply transfer into the new spheres they encounter, whether it be the workplace or more activist circles. Being involved in several movements, Jackson-McKenzie can't see himself stepping away. "Once you're involved, you can't stop because you learn and understand more, and it becomes much more serious and scary," he says.

Forced to grow up fast due to a string of societal crises, there's always the potential Gen Z could outgrow their activist tendencies as they take on more responsibilities in their lives. However, research on the 60s generation shows that commitment to the same kind of political beliefs stays consistent over time. "The narrative that one becomes more conservative as they age isn't held up by evidence," says Taft. "People who were activists - organising and involving themselves in these collective spaces - continue to be committed to making social change happen in various ways, while those whose involvement drops off tend not to be especially engaged. I don't see why this wouldn't apply to Gen Z."

Invested in activism for the long term, and organising their lives around their commitments to various movements, rather than the other way around, this generation stands to make headway with their demands - provided older generations are ready to listen. "There's always been a problem of ageing people seeing youth movements as too idealistic," says Sinha. "Any radical or progressive movement with ambitions to survive needs to make space for young people and their ideas about what should change and how that should be done."

That said, activism living on the same platforms that older generations use for work and play could be narrowing the ideological divide between them. Equally, research shows that Gen Z's passion for change is revitalising the generations above them too, with the trickle-up effect hard to ignore. Globally, 52% of people of all generations believe teenagers and college-aged people influence how we create change. It's impacting older generations too: 35% of 56+-year-olds agree this cohort influences how they support the causes they care about, jumping to 50% among 42-to-55 year-olds.

The summer of 2022 has already spotlighted a multitude of new and timeworn issues that will remain highly contentious going forwards. And while today's young activists face many of the same hurdles as those before them, they have a wholly different set of tools at their fingertips that grant them the loudest voices of any generation in history. With a fresher take on all the ways we're getting life wrong, they're angry and unafraid to speak up.

"After the pandemic, the challenge is remobilising people and empowering them to take actions - a lot of the time people are feeling depressed about what's going on," says McKenzie-Jackson. "Activism isn't just actions or social media, it always starts with a passion, and people need to be in touch with that first - everyone has a voice that can turn society on its head, it's just about feeling empowered enough to use it."

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Gen Z: How young people are changing activism

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Technology has given young people a louder voice than ever before. Gen Z are angry - and unafraid to speak up.

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Teens engaged in activism become better critical thinkers, U-M study finds

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Teens engaged in activism become better critical thinkers, U-M study finds

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Study: Charting the longitudinal trajectories and interplay of critical consciousness among youth activists

Youth involved in community-based activism over time become better critical thinkers and more politically active, according to a new University of Michigan study.

The study, recently published in Child Development, highlights the importance of community engagement in supporting and developing critical consciousness and social action among adolescents.

"Community-based activism serves as a key consciousness-raising system that supports youth to recognize, negotiate and challenge oppression in their lives," said Matthew Diemer, U-M professor of education and psychology. "This is politically contentious work, with a quantitative approach that is sophisticated and rigorous. We're directly paying attention to inequality instead of avoiding talking about inequality or pretending it doesn't exist.

"These settings exploit these topics with young people and foster the capacity to act on inequality. And what we see here is these young people benefit and flourish instead of being harmful or indoctrinated."

Over a two-year period, Diemer and colleagues analyzed three dimensions of critical consciousness-critical reflection, motivation and action-among 518 adolescents (average age: 16) from various cities across the United States. About 39% of the students identified as Latinos or Hispanics, 20% as Black or African American, 11% Asian or Asian American, 8% Multiracial and 6% white.

"These adolescents came to be more critically conscious, understanding inequality better and how to take actions to remedy inequality," Diemer said. "This study helps clarify the antecedents of critical consciousness as well as its form of development to assist future attempts to facilitate youth critical consciousness."

In the past two decades, a substantial body of research has highlighted the benefits of critical consciousness for youth contending with oppression, Diemer says. These studies are based on the work of Brazilian educator and philosopher Paulo Freire, a leading advocate of critical pedagogy. He believed in the idea of critical reflection and action on the world to make it more just and equitable.

"This is the first paper showing the normal trajectory of this process among young people," Diemer said. "We don't have any research that has ever looked at that over time longitudinally, particularly among youth organizers who are already pretty active."

The findings showed some surprises. One is related to adolescents who are already critically reflective about inequality in the world and involved in activism-although there is still room for change and growth for these young activists, Diemer says.

"Despite that, they are growing because of the settings they were in and their partnerships with adults," he said. "These organizers were careful and intentional about some practices that seem to foster critical consciousness in these young people, supporting them and engaging in action in the world.

"They provided a space for discussions and reflections about inequality, without indoctrinating them or imposing views, but only to encourage and give a voice to the young people."

Critical consciousness is associated with beneficial developmental outcomes among youth. They are developing in a society often antagonistic to their healthy development, such as the lack of a social safety net and career opportunities, Diemer says.

"Our study extends the understanding of how youth develop critical consciousness within community-based activist contexts," he said. "Now, we would like to have a sense of the best practices of these organizations. We see that these settings are effective and impactful and knowing more specifically what was happening that led to that change would be next."

Co-authors include U-M graduate students Victoria Vezaldenos and Gabrielle Kubi, and recent graduates Andres Pinedo, incoming assistant professor at Vanderbilt University, and Michael Frisby, assistant professor at Georgia State University.

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Teens engaged in activism become better critical thinkers, U-M study finds

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Youth involved in community-based activism over time become better critical thinkers and more politically active, according to a new University of Michigan study.

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Why Activism Is Good For Teens — And The Country - MGH Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds

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Activism and protest call for expression, for persuasion. They channel creative expression into a cause, and the cause ignites the creativity.

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By Key Club International Trustee Ahmed Eldeeb

Youth activism is a potent tool for bringing about change in our neighborhoods and the wider world. Being young gives us the vigor, enthusiasm and determination to express our opinions, provide original ideas and become more involved and active citizens.

One of the most effective ways for young activists to change the world is through service initiatives. These can include neighborhood beautification initiatives, collaboration with neighborhood shelters to assist the homeless, voter registration and civic engagement campaigns, and enhancing access to education for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Youth activism also includes vital social justice topics such as diversity, equity and inclusion in our communities and confronting oppressive systems.

In addition, supporting people in need and raising awareness of mental health issues is essential for youth activism.

It's crucial to find a cause you're passionate about and then act on it. This could entail doing volunteer work, taking part in demonstrations or founding your own grassroots organization. Though change does not occur immediately, teenage activists' tenacity and drive can have a significant impact within and outside their communities. You have the ability to effect genuine change in the world as a young person, and your voice counts!

Youth activism may benefit our homes, schools and communities as well. We may contribute to making our homes, schools and communities more inclusive, equitable and safe by getting active in volunteer work and advocacy. We can raise knowledge and understanding of various viewpoints and experiences - and we can foster compassion in our homes and schools by educating ourselves and others on topics that are important to us. We may have a beneficial impact on our communities and contribute to their development by volunteering and engaging in community service.

Change doesn't happen overnight, but we can make a significant difference if we're persistent and determined. I implore you to choose a cause that is close to your heart and to become involved. Along with being a positive influence, you'll meet new people, learn new things and enjoy new experiences.

Let's work together to create a better future for everyone.

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Youth activism is a potent tool for bringing about change in our neighborhoods and the wider world. Being young gives us the vigor, enthusiasm and determination to express our opinions, provide original ideas and become more involved and active citizens. One of the most effective ways for young activists to change the world is through service initiatives.

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This Fifteen-Year-Old is Turning the Tide on Plastic Pollution

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This Fifteen-Year-Old is Turning the Tide on Plastic Pollution

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Plastic pollution is one of the fastest growing crises in the world today. People don't realize how much plastics are in our lives, how addicted we are to it, and how much plastics are consuming the planet. When you throw plastic away, it doesn't really go away, it is a material that the Earth cannot digest. Plastics are having an effect on animals, the environment, and human health. In addition, to produce plastic, manufacturers are consuming the Earth's valuable resources. What is also alarming is that China recently decided, effective January 1, 2018, to stop accepting recyclables from the US and other countries. With the amount of plastic waste the US disposes of, there is going to be a significant amount of plastic that will end up in our landfills, lakes, and oceans. This should be alarming to us, as much of our recycled plastic historically has been sent to China.
What is the #1 plastic pollution fact you want EVERYONE to know?
The most shocking statistic is that scientists predict that by 2050, the plastic in the ocean will outweigh the fish! This is primarily because there is currently 300 million tons of new plastic produced annually. Approximately a truckload of plastic is added to our oceans every minute! You've been doing amazing things to educate and empower individuals to reduce their plastic footprint. Where do you see your work connecting to ours at Greenpeace, which is aiming to change the conversation from personal responsibility to corporate responsibility?

I believe that we need to alter our relationship with plastic, because we aren't going to be able to recycle our way out of this problem. There are a lot of issues with recycling, including the fact that not all of our materials that we put in the recycling bin actually get recycled. Our most effective solution is to reduce our reliance on single-use plastics, and I have been educating the public on practical ways we can reduce our plastic footprint. This can also involve us as consumers by supporting companies that are conscious about the environment and are making sustainable choices. This can also include contacting companies to suggest ways the company can reduce its plastic packaging. We'll need several creative solutions, including education and awareness, and involving government, businesses, and citizens, before we can say we have conquered one of the greatest threats to our planet.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=88&v=vAEpefoF_3w[/youtube]
How did you get involved with local politics to successfully create a Plastic Pollution Awareness Day? Any pro tips to share with other badass 15-year-olds?
It was easy to reach out to and get engaged with my local representatives. I had developed working relationships with my County Commissioners, and realized at a young age that they are people too. Based on this, I decided to contact my local state senator to arrange for a face to face meeting. It was that easy! I educated him on the topic of plastic pollution, and showed pictures of animals suffering due to ingesting or being entangled in plastics, because a picture is worth a thousand words. I made sure I was fully educated (I obtained all of my facts and data from reputable sources, including 5 Gyres Institute and Plastic Pollution Coalition). At the end of our discussion, I provided recommendations on how we could work together to help the planet. My senator loved the idea of creating an educational event to get the word out about plastic pollution, and we ultimately called it Plastic Pollution Awareness Day. From this platform, I was able to present to all 56 state senators on the senate floor in the Georgia State Capitol Building. Being on this journey has given me more confidence to speak up, whether to CEOs of companies or politicians. At the end of the day, they are all just people, like you and I.
What advice would you give to inspire someone who feels powerless to make a difference in the face of such an overwhelmingly large issue?
You are never too young or too old to make a difference, and it doesn't matter your race, gender, or what you believe in. If you dream it and believe it, you are halfway there. With the internet and social media, there are many effective ways to make our voices heard. As consumers, we all have voices, and we can all make a difference in our own way. Just today, I sent out letters to over a dozen restaurant CEOs to try to convince them to reduce their consumption of single-use plastics. This may be small, but everyone can do this! If we band together across the world, we can be unstoppable. We just need to care enough to act.

So what are you waiting for? Roll up your sleeves and let's get to work! Check out Hannah's website for extra inspiration, and read more about what we are doing at Greenpeace to target plastic pollution at its source. Together, we can all be part of the community of superheroes like Hannah working on solutions to ocean plastic pollution! Join the movement today!

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This Fifteen-Year-Old is Turning the Tide on Plastic Pollution

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Why is ending plastic pollution so important to you? Plastic pollution is one of the fastest growing crises in the world today. People don't realize how much plastics are in our lives, how addicted we are to it, and how much plastics are consuming the planet.

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Generation Climate: How the crisis made young people the adults in the room

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Generation Climate: How the crisis made young people the adults in the room

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Generation Climate: How the crisis made young people the adults in the room

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The young generation is coming of age in a world that is warming far faster than scientists had predicted, and they see with clear eyes the climate catastrophe that looms.

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Our country has a long history of youth-led movements that brought about significant social change. Young people have advocated for child labor laws, voting rights, civil rights, school desegregation, immigration reform and LGBTQ rights. Through their actions, the world has changed. Because young people often have the desire, energy and idealism to do something about the injustice they see in the world, they are powerful agents for change.

Our work in education helps students examine implicit and overt forms of bias and discrimination and as a result, educators often feel a responsibility to provide students with the structure, opportunity and tools to do something about the injustice they see in the world. Transforming students' feelings of anger, sadness and hopelessness into concrete actions that can make the world more equitable is a vital teaching opportunity. Voting is one way to get your voice heard but there are a myriad of ways young people can make difference.

Below are ideas for bringing social activism into the classroom and outside of the school walls. These are lifelong skills and attitudes that teach students about citizenship and that there is something you can do when faced with injustice. The strategies can be acted upon individually, organized together as a group and young people can join with a larger effort that is taking place locally or nationally. The tactics also bring opportunities for students to read, write, research, think critically and talk with each other.

1. Educate others

As students learn about an issue they care about, their natural instinct is to share their new knowledge and insight with others. Encourage this by providing live and online opportunities for them to teach others, including their classmates, younger students and adults in their lives. This can include school assemblies, community forums, teach-ins, peer-to-peer programs and social media forums. Include opportunities to share the information in interesting ways (written, art, theatre, etc.) and they should also give other students the chance to explore their own thoughts and feelings about the topics. Youth who want to know more may be more likely to learn from another young person.

2. Advocate for legislation

Change comes about in a variety of ways and one of these is through legislative change. For example, the primary advocates for the DREAM Act have been young people known as the DREAMers, who have a personal investment in the issue. With your students, provide opportunities for them to learn about the history and impact of legislative change like the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Help them analyze proposed legislation in relation to their goals and assess the extent to which it will have an impact. They can study research that examines the extent to which legislation impacted injustice. Have students push for legislation by working with other groups with similar goals, building coalitions and writing letters to their legislators to advocate for specific local, state and federal laws.

3. Run for office

Student government provides a chance for students to have a positive impact in their school and learn about how government works on a small scale. It gives youth the experience to reflect on and consolidate their own positions on important school issues, learn how to communicate those positions, build relationships with others and become a good listener in understanding constituent (i.e. other students) needs. It is also good practice for the future in getting involved in politics. Elected positions are not the only way to get involved; students can also become involved in groups like the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA), peer training or other task forces that are working to improve their school.

4. Protest

Marching in the streets enables students to express themselves and publicly convey what's happening while meeting and connecting with other people who feel passionate about the same issues. Demonstrations and protests can be uplifting and empowering and can help students feel like they are part of a larger movement. In preparing to attend a protest, have students consider what their goals are in attending the event and think through what message they want to convey. They can create posters, prepare songs or chants and practice symbolism that conveys their thoughts and feelings. They should consider whether they want to do individually or organize a group of students from their school to go together, make transportation arrangements and ensure that safety concerns are addressed.

5. Create a public awareness campaign that includes social media

There are many ways to develop or participate in a public awareness campaign Educating people about an issue in order to inspire change can take place in school, in the community and online. Creating signs and posters using art and photography can be very effective as can videos and live speeches; these are all useful skills that young people can learn. In recent years, the use of social media to raise public awareness has been largely driven by young people and is a useful vehicle for raising issues and effecting change. The use of blogs, social media sites like Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, videos, memes and online petitions are just a few examples of how words travel fast online and can incite quick and effective action.

6. Do a survey about the issue and share the results

Understanding what people think and why is helpful in bringing about social change. Students can learn more about public opinions on issues by participating in surveys themselves and also reading about them. They can also create their own surveys. Using paper surveys or online surveys, students can gain insight into how other students in their school or the larger community feel about an issue. This is useful in organizing others and addressing their concerns and needs; at the same time it builds math, critical thinking and interpersonal skills.

7. Raise money

Raising money is a concrete way for students to contribute to community or national efforts to address injustice. From organizing a bake sale around a local issue to fundraising on a larger scale for a national concern like racial disparities in the criminal justice system, raising money helps students feel like they are part of something bigger and backs the cause. Fundraisers can include selling items, auctions, entertainment, sponsoring events and more.

8. Write a letter to a company

Students can reach out to companies or organizations that they feel have done something unfair or biased. This is something do-able that can make a difference. For example, if students want to change the ways toy companies use gender role stereotypes to package and sell their toys or games, have them write letters to toy or video game companies and explain why they think their practices are biased. In crafting a well-written letter with evidence and a clear statement of what needs to change, students learn useful skills in persuasion and at the same time, it has a made a difference.

9. Engage in community service

In addition to organizing and advocating on a large scale, students should be encouraged to engage in community service on issues they care about. For example, if they are concerned about the stereotypes and violence directed at homeless people, in addition to advocating for legislation or attending a demonstration, students can also donate their time to help out in a homeless shelter or soup kitchen. Serving the people who are directly impacted gives young people firsthand knowledge of the situation, deepens their understanding and builds empathy.

10. Get the press involved

Help students understand that bringing publicity to their issue amplifies the message, gets more people concerned and potentially has a greater impact. They can write a press release, do an interview, write an op-ed in their local paper or invite a reporter to see what they are doing and write something about it. This sharpens their own message and serves to bring that message to a larger group of people.

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Our country has a long history of youth-led movements that brought about significant social change. Young people have advocated for child labor laws, voting rights, civil rights, school desegregation, immigration reform and LGBTQ rights. Through their actions, the world has changed.

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5 WAYS YOUTH ACTIVISM HAS ALREADY MADE HISTORY THIS YEAR

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5 WAYS YOUTH ACTIVISM HAS ALREADY MADE HISTORY THIS YEAR

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5 Ways Youth Activism Has Already Made History This Year

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March For Our Lives, #MeToo, #YouthRiseUp, and more.

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Youth Activism Is On the Rise—Here’s How to Support Your Teen Activist

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Youth Activism Is On the Rise—Here’s How to Support Your Teen Activist

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How Gen Z Activists Are Paving the Way for Change-Your Teen Mag

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Recently I spoke with DeNora Getachew, the CEO of DoSomething.org., the largest not-for-profit exclusively for young people and social change . With a target demographic is 13- to 25-year-olds, DoSomething's millions of members represent every US area code and 131 countries.

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20 Teen Activists Who Inspire Us To Do More Good

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20 Teen Activists Who Inspire Us To Do More Good

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Teen and young adult activists have been the backbone of many current social movements we see taking hold today - including movements around climate change, racial justice, gun violence, and LGBTQ+ rights.

According to the National Education Association, student activism is on the rise.

In fact, after the horrific mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, millions of young people across the nation made history by catalyzing never-before-seen support and energy for gun reform. Students led classroom walk-outs, organized marches in their communities, and became leading voices on issues they were previously sidelined on.

Teen activism is by no means new or trendy, though.

Students from marginalized communities have been organizing and protesting as part of educational institutions throughout American history, and, notably, during the Civil Rights Movement throughout the mid to late 20th century.

More than a half-century later, youth activism has reemerged with a similar energy and power to create meaningful change for generations.

Whether it's school walkouts, the development of on and off-campus organizations, petitions, or mobilizing marches, student activists are meeting "unprecedented" challenges with hope and resiliency.

We're highlighting just a few of the many teen activists who have and are currently leading the charge on social change around the world.

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Youth Activists Making A Difference

Greta Thunberg, environmental activist

Greta Thunberg - one of the most well-known activists today - was 15 years old when she protested outside the Swedish parliament in 2018. Thunberg hoped her efforts would pressure political leaders to meet carbon emissions targets.

According to BBC, this grassroots campaign inspired thousands of young students worldwide to organize similar strikes and by December 2018, more than 20,000 students - from the U.S. to Japan - had joined in.

She's been considered a top contender to win the Nobel Peace Prize for her climate activism every year since 2019.

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Desmond Naples, LGBTQ+ youth activist

Desmond Naples - also known as Desmond is Amazing - is a 15-year-old LGBTQ+ rights advocate and drag performer. They use their voice with the hopes that it creates increased visibility to break down barriers for LGBTQ+ people.

In 2017 Naples launched the Haus of Amazing, a safe space for children who do drag. Since then, they have published " Be Amazing: A History of Pride," a vibrant and educational tool for children to learn more about the Pride movement and inclusive community.

In addition to speaking out for human rights, Naples runs a YouTube channel and works as an editorial and runway model.

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Marley Dias, literary activist

Marley Dias is the teen founder of #1000BlackGirlBooks - a movement to collect and donate books with Black female protagonists.

Her campaign leveraged the power of social media to reach a larger audience and soon reached her initial goal of collecting 1,000 books featuring Black female protagonists.

Her success led her to be recognized by TIME as one of the 25 most influential teens in 2018. She continues to advocate for Black representation and self-empowerment and has since released her first book called " Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You! "

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Malala Yousafzai, girls' education activist

In 2012, Malala Yousafzai became an instant international symbol of the fight for girls' education after being shot in a school bus by members of the Taliban - which have strict restrictions on female education.

She survived, recovered, and used her experience as direct motivation to continue her fight. At 17, Yousafzai became the youngest Nobel Prize laureate for her humanitarian efforts - which included establishing the Malala Fund, an organization dedicated to giving girls an opportunity to learn and lead.

She later published her first book, " I Am Malala," and graduated from Oxford University in 2020.

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Naomi Wadler, gun reform activist

After the tragic 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Naomi Wadler and a friend organized a walkout - in which 200 of her classmates ended up participating.

The successful youth-led demonstration garnered national attention and led her to delivering a speech at the 2018 March for Our Lives rally in Washington, D.C - she was just 11 years old.

Today she balances school with her advocacy efforts, which primarily bring awareness to how Black girls and women are disproportionately affected by gun violence.

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Autumn Peltier, Indigenous water-rights activist

Autumn Peltier is a 17-year-old Canadian Indigenous rights activist and chief water commissioner of the Anishinabek Nation whose empowering young people to protect the environment.

Peltier is known for publicly calling out Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about his failure to enact clean water policies - she was 12 years old.

Since then, she has spoken to world leaders at the UN General Assembly and the UN Secretary-General's Climate Action Summit. She was also nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize three times.

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Mari Copeny, clean water activist

At eight years old, Mari Copeny made headlines after she wrote a letter to then-President Barack Obama urging him to do something about the long-overlooked Flint Water Crisis affecting her community. Her letter convinced the president to visit, immediately putting the crisis into public consciousness.

Her frustration and passion were channeled into action, helping her community gain essential access to safe, clean water.

Since then, Copeny, who became known as " Little Miss Flint," has spent her teen years raising over $500,000 to support access to clean water in Flint and other resources to support health and well-being.

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Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, Indigenous climate justice activist

Xiuhtezcatl (shoe-TEZ-caht) Martinez is a 19-year-old Indigenous climate activist, hip-hop artist, and influential voice of the global youth-led environmental movement.

Inspired by his mother's own activism, Martinez has been a part of the climate justice movement since he was six years old.

Today he focuses on educating his generation about the current state of the planet and inspiring them to take action to create a better world.

Martinez is the youth director of Earth Guardians, a nonprofit that trains diverse youth to become leaders in the climate and social justice space by using art, music, storytelling, civic engagement, and legal action to advance solutions.

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Olivia Julianna, political activist

Olivia Julianna is a 19-year-old political activist and strategist for the youth-led nonprofit Gen Z For Change, which uses social media to raise awareness, fundraise for causes - and take problematic politicians down a peg.

In the summer of 2022, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz made fatphobic, misogynistic comments about Julianna in an attempt to degrade her and her ongoing advocacy for abortion rights.

Instead of letting it get to her, she used it as fuel to fundraise for abortion funds across the country via social media. Donations flooded in, reaching $2.2 million within a week.

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Thandiwe Abdullah, Black Lives Matter activist

Thandiwe Abdullah started attending protests when they were just two years old. At 13, the student and Black Lives Matter activist co-founded BLM Youth Vanguard.

Thandiwe and the Youth Vanguard have worked to protect students in their community and have successfully removed random searches from the Los Angeles Unified School District.

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Jack Petocz, LGBTQ+ activist

In February 2022, Florida's House of Representatives passed House Bill 1557 - also known as the "Don't Say Gay" bill. The legislation sought to prohibit "classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity" in kindergarten through third grade.

Students in Florida, like 17-year-old Jack Petocz, worked to fight against that hatred and discrimination.

Petocz organized a school-wide walkout, inspiring other Florida students to follow suit. The LGBTQ+ activist is now the policy director at Gen-Z for Change, a nonprofit run by young people leveraging social media to educate and mobilize their peers. Petocz has also spoken out and demanded against book-banning practices.

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Genesis Butler, animal rights and climate activist

Genesis Butler is a 15-year-old environmental and animal rights activist and one of the youngest people to give a TEDx talk (" A 10 Year Old's Vision for Healing the Planet "). Butler is passionate about educating others on the negative impact of animal agriculture on the environment.

The young activist is currently leading the Youth Climate Save movement - the very first youth-led environmental organization that zeroes in on the correlation between climate change and animal consumption.

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Melati and Isabel Wijsen, ocean protection and youth empowerment

Sisters Melati and Isabel Wijsen launched a single-use plastics ban campaign on their home island of Bali in 2013. Their efforts - petitions, beach cleanups, and even a hunger strike - eventually paid off when they convinced their governor to commit to a plastic bag-free Bali by 2018.

Since then, the pair have taken their mission to other students worldwide looking to accomplish similar goals.

They even launched Mountain Mamas, a social enterprise that trains local women in Bali to hand-make reusable bags from donated or recycled materials.

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Sophia Kianni, environmental activist

Sophia Kianni is an 18-year-old Iranian-American environmentalist studying climate science and public policy at Stanford University.

She is the founder and executive director of Climate Cardinals, an organization working to make climate education more accessible by translating climate information into over 100 languages.

Kianni has since grown the organization to an international nonprofit with more than 9,000 volunteers in 40+ countries who have collectively translated 500,000 words of climate information, according to Forbes.

She represents the U.S. as the youngest member of the inaugural United Nations Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change.

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Zyahna Bryant, racial justice activist

Zyahna Bryant is a student activist and community organizer who founded the Black Student Union at her high school and is a member of the Charlottesville Youth Council.

At the age of 12, she organized her first demonstration, a rally for Justice for Trayvon Martin and other victims of police gun violence.

In the Spring of 2016, Bryant wrote a petition to the Charlottesville City Council calling them to remove a Robert E. Lee statue - a Confederate-era symbol. A year later, the city council voted to remove the statue.

Today, the activist continues to work with local teens and fellow youth leaders to create change and address issues related to race and inequity.

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Jamie Margolin, climate activist

Jamie Margolin is a Colombian-American organizer, activist, and public speaker living in Seattle, Washington. As a Latina Jewish lesbian, she's made it her mission to fight for those who are oppressed and marginalized - protecting our people and planet.

At 17, she co-founded " Zero Hour," a youth-led climate action group that seeks to highlight the urgency of the effects of climate change on communities (specifically marginalized groups) across the world.

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March For Our Lives Organizers, gun control activists

Students affected by the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, were quick to mobilize and demand action from elected officials, saying enough is enough.

They soon organized an official nonprofit: March For Our Lives. Founders include students like X González, Cameron Kasky, David Hogg, Jackie Corin, and now, hundreds of local March For Our Lives chapters have emerged, fighting to end the gun violence epidemic in America.

While many of these founders continue careers inside and out of politics and advocacy, their legacy remains a major turning point in the reckoning of the gun safety movement.

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Jerome Foster and Elijah McKenzie-Jackson, climate and LGBTQ+ activists

In 2022, youth climate and LGBTQ+ activists Jerome Foster II and Elijah McKenzie-Jackson sent a letter to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - the organizers behind COP27 - asking them to reconsider hosting the climate conference in Egypt due to the country's hostile laws toward the LGBTQ+ community.

Both teens (Foster from the U.S. and McKenzie-Jackson from the U.K.) are at the forefront of the youth climate movement and advocate for communities around the world that contributed the least to the climate crisis, yet are experiencing the most significant and most devastating impacts.

Together, they co-founded Waic Up, a youth-led climate communication organization.

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20 Teen Activists Who Inspire Us To Do More Good

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Teen and young adult activists have been the backbone of many current social movements we see taking hold today, we're highlighting a few (of the many) who have and are currently leading the charge on social change around the world.

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MEET THE TEEN ACTIVIST WHO IS BUILDING ONE OF CHENNAI’S BIGGEST ANIMAL SHELTERS

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MEET THE TEEN ACTIVIST WHO IS BUILDING ONE OF CHENNAI’S BIGGEST ANIMAL SHELTERS

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Meet the teen activist who is building one of Chennai’s biggest animal shelters

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Sai Vignesh, 18, is on a mission to give sick and abandoned animals a second chance at life by opening a shelter they can call home.

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Why Teenage Activist Genesis Butler Is A Hero To Animals

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Why Teenage Activist Genesis Butler Is A Hero To Animals

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10 Times Genesis Butler Has Been a Hero to Animals

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At just 14 years of age, vegan teenage activist Genesis Butler has done more for animals than some have accomplished in a lifetime. The animal rights advocate stopped eating meat when she was three-years-old after learning where the chicken nuggets on her plate came from.

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Meet the Terrific Teens with Pollution Solutions!

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Meet the Terrific Teens with Pollution Solutions!

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Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Program s is a Massachusetts-based nonprofit that activates the next wave of ocean leaders through the arts, science, and advocacy. They believe that changing our world starts by inspiring and energizing young people to imagine a better future, and empowering them to create it themselves.

Bow Seat's annual Ocean Awareness Contest challenges teens around the world to explore the connections between human activities and the health of our oceans through art, writing, film, and music. Many focus on plastic pollution and its impact on ecosystems, wildlife, and human health. Bow Seat also hosts the Marine Debris Creative Advocacy Competition, which challenges students to design and lead creative campaigns in their community that fight plastic pollution.

Nearly 7 ,000 young people worldwide have participated in Bow Seat programs since the organization's launch in 2011. All under the age of 18, Bow Seat's students are artists, activists, and environmental leaders who are making real changes for their local streets, rivers, and coasts. Meet some of them below! This community of young wavemakers spans almost every U.S. state and more than 60 countries, but are passionate about using their creative voice to fight for our oceans. Here are some of their winners from 2017. Get inspired and get involved - Bow Seat's 2018 program deadline is June 18th!

14-year-old Blue Brasher-Rues from Fayetteville, Arkansas

Blue was inspired to show her landlocked community that even though they are far from the coast, their actions impact the ocean. To raise awareness and concern about the issue of marine debris, Blue planned and curated a student art show and open mic. Blue partnered with the OMNI Center for Peace, Justice & Ecology to host the event, and secured donations and sponsorships from local businesses. The successful event connected hundreds of attendees with each other and the environment through visual art, poetry, music, and storytelling. Community members left with grocery bags made from recycled t-shirts and feelings of hope and possibility for creating a wave of positive change.
"I have always had a passion for protecting our Earth, and especially the water on it that gives life to all. We are not near the ocean, but our land and water are connected. We are a part of an ecosystem, and marine debris has a detrimental effect on our web of existence. It is the job of the people who know about an issue to spread knowledge and passion on that subject. I am ecstatic to know that I can do anything I set my mind to! And I want everyone in my generation knows that they can too."
Fremont Middle School Enviro Club from Oxnard, CaliforniaVanessa Garcia Torres, Isabel Arenas, Victor Godoy, Exivany Ramirez, and Amara Martinez

Enviro Club members created a plastic Quetzalcoatl - the Mesoamerican serpent revered as the giver of life and the God of intelligence, creation, and self-reflection - out of one day's worth of the school's discarded plastic trash. The Quetzalcoatl was displayed during the school's Zero Waste Week, with a poster asking for self-reflection about how every individual can contribute to ending plastic pollution. During the campaign, the Enviro Club members collected 500+ signatures urging their School Board to adopt policies to end the use of polystyrene trays and spork packages and to replace these items with reusable options. The campaign culminated in presentations to the school district's Director of Child Nutrition Services and the School Board, where the Quetzalcoatl served as the centerpiece during both meetings.
"Our school has been discarding approximately 500 polystyrene trays and spork packages with straws per day, in addition to hundreds of chip bags. These plastic pollutants either end up in the landfill or on the school's field, where the mower turns them into plastic shrapnel. The wind blows it out onto the street, into the storm drain, and, ultimately, directly into the ocean, which is only three miles away."
14-year-old Addie Farmer and Lainey Randall from Portland, Maine

Addie and Lainey launched a campaign to raise awareness of and inspire action around marine debris by introducing NOAA's Marine Debris Tracker mobile application to their community. The duo set an ambitious goal for the community to collect and log 5,000 pieces of trash in approximately one month. Addie and Lainey conducted multiple outreach activities, including: communicating with their school community through posters, newsletters, and morning announcements; testifying before the Portland City Council; and presenting to the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. They were even featured on a local television news segment! Addie and Lainey concluded their campaign with a cleanup at East End Beach. They were joined by 30 volunteers who picked up litter and used the Marine Debris Tracker app to log in data. Together, they collected nearly 6,000 pieces of trash, bringing the month-long total to almost 8,000 items - 3,000 over their initial goal!

Soo Bin Cho, Cheyenne Bridge, Sage Nelson, and Lauren Richardson from Irvine/Newport, California

As interns for the city of Newport Beach's Office of Natural Resources, students Soo Bin, Cheyenne, Sage, and Lauren researched the issue of marine debris, conducted local clean-ups, and analyzed their findings. The group wanted to show others how litter - and, in particular, plastic - has a direct impact on marine wildlife, so they created "Maurice," a whale mural painted on a wooden board with a garbage bag for a stomach. They used Maurice for educational outreach activities and brought him to a local pier, where they encouraged visitors to pick up trash and deposit it in Maurice's "stomach." The team found that their interactive mural greatly enhanced their conversations about marine debris with beachgoers of all ages.
"The ocean holds significance in all of our hearts, and we wanted to do anything we could to help protect it. We were astounded by the amount of marine debris found at the beach and its impact on wildlife. We feel strongly about environmental advocacy and want to contribute to greater environmental awareness."
Middle School Students at High Tech Middle North County from San Marcos, California

Middle school students involved in "The Ripple Effect" campaign led several projects to raise awareness about plastic pollution, including participating in beach cleanups, creating a children's book about marine debris, building an informational website and social media campaign, hosting an exhibition for their school community, and raising money to purchase a water bottle filling station at their school. The highlight of their project was creating a life-size whale sculpture out of marine debris, now prominently displayed in their school. Thanks to their hard work, they were able to shift the culture of their school to be more focused on environmental conservation.
"The most meaningful part of the project was learning how quickly we are filling the ocean with plastic and just how much plastic exists in the ocean. We had no idea how it was affecting the animals in the ocean and the food that we eat. We also realized how easy it is to stop using plastic ... every time we grab something that has plastic wrapping on it, we recognize that and prevent ourselves from using it, or use it much less. We are now more interested in helping others see the value in doing the same thing. We now see that one person or a small group can have an impact - and we believe this is a very important mindset for our generation to have." And because art is activism, too, here are some of the poets, painters, and filmmakers making waves of change!
14-year-old Dafne Murillo from Lima, Peru
"I've been involved in two annual beach cleanup projects, and I've been stunned by the countless bottles and plastic bags that are spread across the shoreline. This inspired my piece. My art is my version of the iceberg metaphor: people can only see the portion above the surface but are oblivious of the portion undersea. I feel this is the case in Peru (as in many other countries). People can appreciate our whales, yet fail to realize that by continuing to litter the sea with their plastic waste, they are responsible for the harm of marine wildlife through ingestion or entanglement." "As someone who lives and has grown up on the beach, plastics and the harm they can cause to marine life and the environment are a concerning and pressing issue for me. Whenever I walk on the beach I always pick up as much plastic as I can find to help preserve the beauty of the beaches. Seeing how much plastic gets stuck in ocean gyres and by dissecting albatross boluses, I have become more aware of what happens to the plastics that we use. I hope that my film will help someone else realize the dangers of plastic and take little steps to make their daily life more eco-friendly."
Lauren Krikorian from San Francisco, California
never forget
Akhila Bandlora from Phoenix, AZ

i.
the girl with sea foam fingers writes letters
on napkins left on beaches like loose change,
words stumbling down staircases of five-seven-five haikus
- i want an ocean,
the one mama whispers of,
when she eats, sleeps, prays -
she ties them to the webbed foot of a seagull,
sends it off to the governor-
"the tide is coming."
he laughs, the kind of laugh that corrodes,
shoos the seagull - lulls it to sleep with plastic wrappers and bottles -
throws the napkin away to land up exactly where the girl found it,
dips his pen into the seagull's carcass to sign a bill
for a factory to dump their industrial waste into the ocean
- man made trashcan.

The girl's eyes are seismic; the world shifts.

ii.
It's 1972,
the year oysters pearl, fish jump, and crabs claw;
the girl trades her haikus for ballads, her flat chest
for fruit cup breasts, their apathy for her unrest
the sailors; they call her a woman.
she gargles the sea in her mouth to remember why she's fighting,
pulls trash left on beaches and from washed up animal carnage,
dumps it on the governor's desk-
"the tide is here."
chants reduce, reuse, and recycle outside the homes of oil-guzzling men,
she leaks into classrooms, salt water ferments the walls,
teaches her children how to protect;
the world watches her,
until its eyes cataract,
teeth chip,
lips parch,
and ears burst.
And finally, it listens-
births the Marine Mammal Protection Act,
MPRSA, the ocean dumping act,
holds the UN Convention on the law of the sea-
All promises to defend.
she smiles,
whistles to the whoosh of the waves,
and shows her children how to protest -
The fight is not over.

iii.
It's 2017,
where climate change is an alternative fact,
the ocean an afterthought instead of a forethought;
but it's still her first thought.
her bones are soft like coral,
hair long like coast and gray like gravel,
voice throaty as a frog's-
her battle ending,
the war still raging-
her children, we do not forget;
when our president pulls out of the Paris Agreement,
elects a denialist to run the EPA,
cuts its budget by thirty percent,
we grab conch shells and march on-
"the ocean is rising and so are we"-
she braids kelp through her hair,
washes her body with the sea,
tells us to never forget,
and we say we never will.

Qinlin Li from Southborough, Massachusetts
"There are several factors that led to my passion for, and involvement in, sustainability, but I think my community has been my greatest impact, particularly my home country of China, and my own family's involvement in and concern regarding pollution and sustainability. As a resident of China for the majority of my life, I have read about and seen firsthand how the environment has been polluted by the irresponsible behavior of people. I became interested in sustainability, hoping to do my part to raise sustainability awareness, by reducing my own waste of single-use products, reusing and recycling paper, and modeling so others would do the same. Through my artwork, I wish to raise an awareness of the threat of irresponsible plastic usage and inspire others to reduce their use of these synthesized materials."
"Bottled Home"
"I have always had a special spot in my heart for the sea, but over the years I have noticed definite changes in my local ecosystem, so I created this piece as a voice of my concern. When I started to work on the trash hand monster, I tried to use vibrant colors and large amounts of detail as I wanted it to be the focal point of the piece. The plastic industry also advertises their products with flashy colors to entice their consumers, but are secretly a monster in disguise."
13-year-old Maxwell Sagermann from Santa Barbara, California

Inspiring, aren't they? Check out Bow Seat's website to see more amazing projects designed by young people who are making the oceans - and the world - a better place for all of us. A special thank you to the Bow Seat team for making this possible!

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Meet the Terrific Teens with Pollution Solutions! - Greenpeace USA

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Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs is a Massachusetts-based nonprofit that activates the next wave of ocean leaders through the arts, science, and advocacy. They believe that changing our world starts by inspiring and energizing young people to imagine a better future, and empowering them to create it themselves.

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8 Young Activists You Need to Hear From Today

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8 Young Activists You Need to Hear From Today

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https://xqsuperschool.org/rethinktogether/8-young-activists-you-need-to-hear-from-today/

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More and more, the people leading the charge for positive change in the world can be found in the high school classrooms of our nation and across the globe. Take Greta Thunberg for instance; the high school student inspired a climate strike across the globe among students, challenging politicians to brainstorm a solution for climate change.

She's not the only one, either.

That's why we want to help empower girls everywhere to be the change they want to see in the world. We spoke to a few of them to share their #GirlPower with advice from one girl to another. We asked them one question:

What advice do you have for young people who want to get involved in activism but don't know where to start?

1. Zuriel Oduwole

Zuriel Oduwole is the founder of Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up, and has delivered her message to 30 presidents and more than 25,000 students.
"They must first have a topic or issue that they are passionate about. They have to know that there is work involved. They have to know that they need to put everything they have and everything they have got into growing their movement and making a change. A successful person is not defined as someone who never fails. A successful person is defined as someone who fails... but never gives up." - Zuriel Oduwole

PHOTO | HARVARD - ZURIEL

2. Quannah Chasinghorse

Quannah Chasinghorse is a member of the Han Gwich'in and Lakota Sioux nations. Her climate justice advocacy helped contribute to the recent passing of the Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act.
"Some advice for youth who want to get more involved is to reach out to your local community and start there. Reach out to whatever cause or movement in your area and get involved. It's super fun and easy. We are standing to keep our earth pretty, clean, and green. Listen to each other, learn from each other, and fight [alongside] each other." - Quannah Chasinghorse

PHOTO COURTESY OF QUANNAH CHASINGHORSE

3. Jamie Margolin

Jamie Margolin is the founder of Zero Hour and the author of the forthcoming Youth to Power: Your Voice and How to Use It, a guidebook for young changemakers.
"Begin with a problem that is close to home, both physically and emotionally. What has been bothering you, what issue can you not get out of your heart and mind? Start there. From there it takes a simple Google search to find a local organization that tackles that issue. Just sit in on a meeting and take it from there!" - Jamie Margolin

PHOTO COURTESY: JAMIE MARGOLIN

4. Amika George

Amika George is a student, activist and the founder of Free Periods, a campaign to end period poverty worldwide. In 2018, she was recognized by TIME as one of the 25 most influential teens in the world.
"If you have an idea, or if you want to start a campaign, it's achieavable through the power of social media and getting together with your friends and just talking openly and often about quite difficult and often taboo subjects, you can make change." -Amika George, as quoted on

PHOTO CREDIT: BUSTLE

5. Mari Copeny (@littlemissflint)

Mari Copeny is an activist working to ensure kids in Flint, Michigan, have access to clean water. Since 2016, she has helped raise over $500,000 with the nonprofit organization Pack Your Back.
"Taking the first step is the hardest part but once you do it and focus on the activism that matters to you, you will find you are not alone." - Mari Copeny

PHOTO CREDIT: @LITTLEMISSFLINT

6. Aryaana Khan

Aryaana Khan is a climate advocate who serves on the Youth Fundraising Advisory Board for the Alliance for Climate Education. She is dedicated to amplifying " the voices that don't get to negotiate with global leaders."
"Start small. Look within-and towards the communities-you come from, and ask yourself about all the stories you and people know. Is there a common thread connecting all these stories? For me, I thought a lot about the floods and hurricanes, and the effects they have on the different communities I come from. As a young person who could not even vote to give these issues the limelight, activism looked a lot like me educating myself, and all those around me. The goal is not to change the world alone but to do something-anything-that can create a ripple. So, start small."

PHOTO CREDIT: ALLIANCE FOR CLIMATE EDUCATION

7. Maya Penn

Maya Penn is a CEO, eco-designer, activist, and founder of Maya's Ideas 4 the Planet, a nonprofit that "strives to embetter our planet and support, uplift and empower girls/youth and those in need around the world."
"Identify the passions and the issues that speak to you. Is there some way you can use your skills, interests, etc. to make a difference? Whether it's starting an initiative to make an impact, raising money to give back, or using art to advocate, be creative on how you can make a difference. Also, look for areas of need. Can you start an initiative in your school or community? Are there initiatives, organizations or nonprofits that you would like to be a part of? Reach out. There is so much opportunity to make change." - Maya Penn

PHOTO COURTESY: MAYA PENN

8. Amanda Gorman

Amanda Gorman is a poet, author, and activist and was the first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate. She is also the founder and executive director of One Pen One Page, an organization that "promotes literacy through free creative writing programming for underserved youth."
"Act locally, think globally. It can be daunting to feel like you alone have to change the world. But here's the good news: You are not alone. We are a movement. Second, being an activist in your club, your school, your home, your neighborhood garden, your community elections, is exactly the local advocacy that will rock the world." - Amanda Gorman

PHOTO COURTESY: AMANDA GORMAN

Share their story!

Know a young changemaker whose story deserves to be told? Connect with us on social media for features on our student-powered Instagram page or simply fill out our XQ guest blog contributor form here.

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8 Young Activists You Need to Hear From Today | Rethink Together

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More and more, the people leading the charge for positive change in the world can be found in the high school classrooms of our nation and across the globe. Take Greta Thunberg for instance; the high school student inspired a climate strike across the globe among students, challenging politicians to brainstorm a solution for climate change.

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Top 10 Famous Teenage Activists Who Will Inspire You

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Top 10 Famous Teenage Activists Who Will Inspire You

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https://www.theteenmagazine.com/top-10-famous-teenage-activists-who-will-inspire-you

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After recentl y discovering a few young, teenage activists, I thought I'd compile a list of ten young, diverse, activists who are working hard to better their communities and the world around them. For anyone interested in helping out their communities or wanting to make a positive impact, reading up on what others are doing can be incredibly helpful and motivating. It's also important to continually share the work of young activists in order to propel their message and simply educate others on what is being done to combat certain issues. So, below, in no particular order, are ten young activists whose messages and actions, should be known and championed.

10. MARLEY DIAS

Marley Dias is 14 years old and launched a campaign in 2015 (when she was only 10!) called #1000BlackGirlBooks as a result of feeling frustrated that she wasn't reading books in school that had black main characters. The goal of her campaign was to donate and collect 1000 books featuring black girls as main characters rather than white boys. Her campaign was a huge success and resulted in her getting her own book deal and eventually publishing a book titled Marley Dias Gets It Done. In her book, Marley describes her journey in activism and social justice and inspires other kids to make positive changes within their own communities.

9. JAMIE MARGOLIN

Jamie Margolin is a 17-year-old climate justice activist and founder of the organization Zero Hour. Primary aims of the Zero Hour organization, according to their website, is to educate communities around the United States on various possible causes for climate change, such as capitalism, racism, and colonialism, and how those relate to the climate movement as well as the concept of climate justice. She founded the organization after realizing that we were running out of time to reverse the effects of climate change and felt we were in need of a radical change. She volunteered at Hillary Clinton's Washington State headquarters at the age of 14 and has been a part of organizing several protest marches calling for more government actions.

8. MARI COPENY

Mari Copeny is 11 years old and shot to national attention when, at just 8 years old, she wrote a letter to President Obama asking him to meet her, and a few other people in Washington DC to talk about the Flint water crisis. She had already been actively campaigning for awareness against the fact that Flint, Michigan was not receiving clean water. Obama responded and said that he would instead, come to Flint and make sure that people there were getting the help they needed. Mari has raised money online for students going to school in Flint, helped load cases of water into resident's cars, participated in anti-bullying campaigns, and worked to give underserved kids free screenings of diverse movies.

7. XIUHTEZCATL MARTINEZ

Xiuhtezcatl Martinez is an 18-year-old indigenous environmental activist and the youth director of Earth Guardians. Earth Guardians is an organization that wants to empower young people and help them by giving them leadership opportunities. It focuses on environmental awareness and action. Xiuhtezcatl, as youth director for Earth Guardians, has spoken at the United Nations, worked to get pesticides removed from local parks, and is one of 21 plaintiffs involved in a primarily-youth led lawsuit against the US federal government for its lack of direct actions against climate change.

6. GRETA THUNBERG

Greta Thunberg is a 16-year-old Swedish climate activist. She's most known for starting the Friday school strikes for climate change. She started by protesting outside the Swedish parliament for more action against climate change. Gradually, her movement grew and grew, resulting in students from 112 countries joining in on her school strikes for climate change. She's currently a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize, has given Ted Talks about climate change, addressed the COP24 at the UN Climate Change Summit in 2018, and has spoken to British Parliament about her concerns for the lack of significant action being taken against climate change.

5. BLAIR IMANI

Blair Imani is a 25-year-old activist and writer. She wrote the book Modern HERstory: Stories of Women and Nonbinary People Rewriting History and is currently writing a book on the Great Migration which is set to come out in January of 2020. Along with her writing, she is a strong member of the Black Lives Matter Movement. In 2016, she was arrested for protesting the murder of Aaron Sterling. She is also the executive director of the feminist organization Equality for HER and has protested actively against the Executive Order 13769 (aka the Muslim Ban ordered by current President Trump).

4. MALALA YOUSAFZAI

Malala Yousafzai is a 21-year-old Pakistani activist for female education. After the Taliban occupied Pakistan and prevented women and girls from gaining access to an education, Malala started advocating for education from a young age. When she was 11, she started writing for the BBC Urdu under a pseudonym about the Taliban occupation in her city. A few years later, in 2012, she and a few other girls were taking the bus home after taking an exam and were shot by a Taliban gunman who was reacting to Malala's rising activism for female education. After she recovered, she started the non-profit organization called the Malala Fund and wrote a book titled I am Malala, detailing her story. She received the Nobel Peace Price in 2014 and is currently studying at Oxford University.

3. JAZZ JENNINGS

Jazz Jennings, at 18 years old, is an LGBT rights activist and co-founder of the TransKids Purple Rainbow Foundation which aims to help transgender youth. She also founded the company Purple Rainbow Tails, where she makes rubber mermaid tails and raises money for transgender youth. She has frequently talked about the issues facing young transgender people both on her Youtube channel and on her reality TV series titled I am Jazz.

2. EMMA GONZALEZ

Emma Gonzalez, 19, is an activist for gun control. She was among the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students who survived the shooting there in February of 2018. Since then, she's been a strong advocate for gun reform and gun control. She was also a key organizer of the March For Our Lives movement, a demonstration led by students around the country, campaigning for better and stricter gun laws. Emma has also spoken at the televised town hall meeting in 2018 in which she and other students criticized the NRA (National Rifle Association) as well as those who support it and receive money from the Association. She also spent the summer touring the United States, registering people to vote and talking about gun reform.

1. DEJA FOXX

Deja Foxx, 19, advocated for better sex education as she noticed the way the lack of sex education negatively impacted low-income people of color. Deja worked with Planned Parenthood and went viral for speaking up to Arizona State Senator Jeff Flake about women's health. She has also helped found the Reproductive Health Access Project. She has also worked on several marches and walkouts protesting gun violence. Deja has also lobbied on Capitol Hill, worked to end family separation, and has founded GenZ Girl Gang. She has also been named as one of Vogue's 21 under 21.

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Top 10 Famous Teenage Activists Who Will Inspire You

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After recently discovering a few young, teenage activists, I thought I'd compile a list of ten young, diverse, activists who are working hard to better their communities and the world around them. For anyone interested in helping out their communities or wanting to make a positive impact, reading up on what others are doing can be incredibly helpful and motivating.

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Parkland activists heal over years while pushing gun reform

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Parkland activists heal over years while pushing gun reform

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https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/parkland-activists-heal-years-pushing-gun-reform-81148919

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- When the shooter in the 2018 Parkland school massacre finally pleaded guilty last month, it briefly revived attention and donations for the anti-gun violence March For Our Lives student movement birthed by the tragedy.

It also dredged up personal trauma for many of young activists, though most are now hundreds of miles away at college.

Jaclyn Corin, 21, one of the group's original organizers and now a Harvard junior, stayed off social media the week of the shooter's court proceedings to avoid painful memories. But well-intentioned loved ones texted constantly to provide support, unwittingly making it impossible for her to ignore.

"I try my best not to think about him and the violence that he inflicted, but it's incredibly hard to do that when someone who ruined your life and the lives of literally everyone in your community is trending on social media."

In the initial months after the shooting that killed 17 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the teenagers amassed one of the largest youth protests in history in Washington and rallied more than a million activists in sister marches from California to Japan. They made the cover of Time magazine and raised millions to fund March For Our Lives. They testified before Congress, met with the president, won the International Children's Peace Prize and launched a 60-plus city bus tour to register tens of thousands of young voters.

March For Our Lives has evolved into a 300-chapter organization that has had a hand in helping pass many of the 130 gun violence prevention bills approved across the country since 2018 and regularly files amicus briefs in gun-related lawsuits.

Yet some of the original founders, including Emma Gonzalez, have left or taken a step back - or moved on to other issues. One of them is running for Congress in Florida.

Corin was so burned out from activism when she started college that she said she needed a year for herself.

"A lot of our trauma from the shooting is inherently linked to the organization," she said.

Nearly four years after the shootings, the twenty-somethings have managed to keep the organization going and youth-led. Still, they've struggled to achieve sustainable financing. The organization has raised over $31 million to date, but its operating costs were slightly higher than funds in 2020.

David Hogg, one of the most recognizable faces from the group and still one of its most active members, said the organization is much more stable now than in the early days

"When you get a bunch of traumatized teenagers together and say, 'It's up to you to fix this,' ... the weight that puts on a 17-year-old mind or a 14-year-old mind like my sister's after she lost four friends that day is enormous."

Hogg, also a student at Harvard, delayed college for a year to help grow the organization. He was in Washington last week for a Supreme Court case about the right to carry a firearm in public for self-defense where the organization filed an amicus brief supporting a restrictive New York state law.

"There are days when I want to stop. There are days when I am exhausted. But there are days when I realize I am not alone in this work," Hogg said in a recent interview.

Hogg, who has drawn persistent scorn from conservatives including Georgia's Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Fox News personality Laura Ingraham, said March For Our Lives is focused on the long game. It hopes to spur youth nationally to run for office, become judges and draft policies.

Volunteers in the organization made over 1 million texts and phone calls leading up to the 2020 election.

Maxwell Frost, one of the group's founders and its former organizing director, is running for an open congressional seat from Orlando. Another founding member, Charlie Mirsky, took a year off to work full time as the organization's policy director before before enrolling at Lafayette College. Last summer, he helped the organization form a judicial advocacy branch to write amicus briefs.

While gun control remains the group's chief mission, the students said they consider issues like racism, poverty and voter disenfranchisement to be intertwined and have focused extra efforts on communities of color affected by gun violence.

Many of the students rallied for Black Lives Matters last summer in the wake of the George Floyd protests, including Aalayah Eastmond.

Eastmond, now a junior at Trinity Washington University, was in her Holocaust history class when the gunman killed several students inside. The now 20-year-old took part in March For Our Lives' bus tour, though she is not a formal member of the group.

"I wanted to make sure we were addressing inner city gun violence that disproportionately impacts Black and brown youth," Eastmond said. "I felt like that was a huge part of the conversation that is overlooked."

And now, as a jury will decide in January whether the Parkland school shooter will spend life in prison or receive the death penalty, the student activists find themselves grappling yet again with the human toll of gun violence. The organization does not have a formal position, but the students said they support whatever the victims' families want.

"I think it's a really difficult scenario," Corin said. "I struggle with the morality of the death penalty often, but I do know that it could give victims' families peace, specifically in this case where we know the person is guilty."

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Parkland activists heal over years while pushing gun reform

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- When the shooter in the 2018 Parkland school massacre finally pleaded guilty last month, it briefly revived attention and donations for the anti-gun violence March For Our Lives student movement birthed by the tragedy. It also dredged up personal trauma for many of young activists, though most are now hundreds of miles away at college.

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Just Your Typical Teenagers Helping To Fight World Poverty

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Just Your Typical Teenagers Helping To Fight World Poverty

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https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/01/31/382482007/just-your-typical-teenagers-helping-to-fight-world-poverty

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On Jan. 15, 15-year-olds around the world took a stand. Their goal was to make the world a better place 15 years from now by getting rid of poverty and disease. They shared their worries and their dreams with leaders around the world as part of the newly launched "action/2015" effort, supported by the ONE Campaign, a nonprofit group that the rock star Bono founded.

Here in the U.S., the adolescent activists came to the State Department in Washington, D.C., to speak with USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah and Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Heather Higginbottom.

We interviewed three of these lobbyists to learn about the issues they care about and to get a little insight into what it's like to be a 21st-century teen.
Sleepless In Lagos
Tolu does not like to be unplugged.

Her full name is Toluwanimi Sola-Adeyemi. She's from Nigeria, where the power can blink off for days. And her family's home generator doesn't always work.

Here's what it means to be powerless, according to Tolu (who is currently a student at the Oneida Baptist Institute, a boarding school in Kentucky):

Sleepless nights. "We're sleeping in heat, hoping they'll bring electricity," she says. "We're going to sweat the whole night."

School troubles. Once she couldn't complete a school project because the electricity was out for days. All she had was candles. The teacher failed her. Yes, failed her! "I tried to explain to my teacher. She wouldn't listen to any of my excuses. She said that wasn't her problem, that was the government's problem."

No running water. The machine that pumps water into her home relies on electricity.

And all these woes are in the giant city of Lagos, where she lives with her parents, both of whom are lawyers. "The rural part [of Nigeria] is 100 times worse," she says.

A reliable source of electricity "would open up so many advantages that may now be closed off," she says.

Tolu likes the U.S. - not just because she can charge her phone any time she wants. "In Nigeria teachers care more about the money they're making" than about the well-being of their students, she says. She can't get over how caring American teachers are.

She also likes U.S. teens. "In Nigeria, I wouldn't say we're not emotional," Tolu says. "But everybody is so closed off. Here, they're open. They want to know what you're doing, and how it went. American teenagers are really nice!"

She does admit that American movies gave her a false impression of high school life in the U.S. - "like it's this place where everybody is always in the hallways 24/7, the whole school day."

It turns out students do spend some time in classrooms, too, Tolu jokes.

Despite the differences between the U.S. and Nigeria, teens in both places are bound together by pop culture. Tolu is a fan of the young adult novel The Fault in Our Stars, about a cancer-stricken teen. "There's love and happiness," she says, "and even though one of the characters dies, you get this feeling of sadness but also of completeness."

And Tolu's favorite TV show? Gossip Girl. "There's really nothing to not like about it!"
Outspoken in Seattle
Chloe McGill wants Americans to know that getting an education is far from easy in Africa.

"Some girlsdrop out of school because they don't have access to sanitary products," she says. Others can't continue because they have to walk miles to fetch water for their family and don't have time for classes.

So the 15-year-old speaks out about the need for education in Africa, has raised funds for the Rwanda Girls Initiative, which her mother co-founded - and does volunteer work at Rwanda's Gashora Girls Academy, which was established by the Initiative.

The girls at the Gashora academy, a boarding school, have impressed McGill with their "drive for education."

"For me, when I get up in the morning, if it's really early, I don't want to get out of bed and go to school," she says. "But the girls at Gashora are excited for the opportunity. They get up at 5:30 in the morning without complaining for study hour. They take advantage of all opportunities."

But they're also typical teenagers. "We all listen to Justin Bieber and Chris Brown, and they know all the words to their songs," says McGill. "They have access to Facebook. They want to play and have fun."

McGill is glad she came to Washington, D.C. - even though it came right in the middle of finals week. "The fact that [government officials] were sitting there listening was remarkable. They seemed to care about what we were saying," she says. "It might be a long road until we eradicate extreme poverty, but you can only move forward if you believe that you can."

McGill is definitely a believer in moving forward. A book that has helped shape her views is We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families, a chronicle of the genocide. "That event was horrendous and terrifying to think about," she says. "But there's a hopeful side to see how the country has come so far."
Changemaker In Chapel Hill
Travel abroad has also inspired high school sophomore Emine Arcasoy to help people in Rwanda.

Arcasoy, 16, is from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. "But both sets of my grandparents live in Turkey, so each summer we visit them," she tells Goats and Soda.

While in Turkey, Arcasoy and her family have limited access to clean water. They stick to bottled water and can't eat certain types of fruits and vegetables, she says. "When you're in that situation, you have to be careful everywhere," Arcasoy says.

That experience made her want to help people who don't have the basics they need, such as clean water, food and shelter. "What if people aren't as lucky as I am?" she says. "Their lives don't matter any less than mine does."

Arcasoy is a busy teen. She swims, plays tennis and loves to read. She devours dystopian novels, such as The Hunger Games, the Divergent series and George Orwell's Animal Farm. But she found time to join the global health club at her school last year, as a freshman. The team raised more than $40,000 for the nonprofit Partners in Health and its work in Rwanda.

This year the club set their goal even higher. "We raised over $50,000 for the Ebola response in Liberia and Sierra Leone," she says.

Arcasoy says she has heard other kids at her school call the club's efforts "cheesy." But that doesn't stop her from asking them to join the group. "The more people who get involved, the greater the impact," she says. "We're really the generation where I think there's going to be big changes to come."

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Just Your Typical Teenagers Helping To Fight World Poverty

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On Jan. 15, 15-year-olds around the world took a stand. Their goal was to make the world a better place 15 years from now by getting rid of poverty and disease. They shared their worries and their dreams with leaders around the world as part of the newly launched "action/2015" effort, supported by the ONE Campaign, a nonprofit group that the rock star Bono founded.

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5 Youth Activists Tackling World Hunger to Follow on International Youth Day

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5 Youth Activists Tackling World Hunger to Follow on International Youth Day

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https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/international-youth-day-hunger-activists/

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International Youth Day, designated by the UN in the year 2000, is celebrated every Aug. 12 to recognize young people living around the world and the distinct issues that will affect the next generation of world leaders, activists, and Global Citizens.

Keeping in mind the 270 million people in urgent need of food aid and the enormous toll human activity has taken on the environment, the theme of International Youth Day 2021 is "Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health." That's because youth organizations and activists are at the forefront of fighting hunger and malnutrition.

Hunger is a tricky thing to measure. We produce enough food to feed every person in the world, according to the World Food Forum, but accessibility and affordability prevent that from happening. Even when food is accessible, there is a question of whether it is nutritious, particularly in regions of the world where food deserts keep people from enjoying diverse and healthy diets.

The COVID-19 pandemic has only made the problem worse, as lockdown restrictions and a global recession disrupted food systems everywhere.

Climate change is another big threat to accessing nutritious food. As a warming planet continues to devastate the land we live on - resulting in heat waves, flooding, and forest fires - food systems are becoming increasingly unreliable. If we don't adapt the current system to become more sustainable, world hunger is going to increase, and many more lives will be lost.
Young people are on the front lines of the struggle to build a better future for all. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the dire need for the kind of transformational change they seek - and young people must be full partners in that effort. UN Secretary-General António Guterres
Young people will inherit these global issues that have been building for years. But instead of waiting for the problem to become theirs to solve, they are taking action now, demanding world leaders defend the planet and defeat poverty with measurable policies, as well as starting their own initiatives to improve food security.

Here are five youth activists fighting the interconnected problems of world hunger and climate change that you can follow on social media. Let their work inspire you to take action in your own communities and abroad, no matter how old you are.

1. Kehkashan Basu, Canada

At just 21 years old, Kehkashan Basu has campaigned on issues spanning hunger, climate change, and gender equality for years, leading her to be recognized as one of Canada's Top 25 Women of Influence in 2018. This year, she participated in the Generation Equality Forum with other young activists as part of UN Women's Generation Equality Youth Task Force, where she underscored the importance of recognizing intersectionality when fighting poverty.

"In developing regions, poverty, hunger, gender abuse, and inequality are all interlinked, and [my organization] essentially addresses their intersectionality to elevate them out of poverty while helping to restore their natural environment and biodiversity," Basu told Global Citizen.

At age 12, she founded the Green Hope Foundation, which empowers vulnerable people - such as women and refugees - to implement sustainable agricultural practices. She believes that with more thoughtful ways of practicing agriculture, humanity can address the interconnected problems that stem from climate change.

"Unless we regenerate planetary health and restore nature's balance, it will be impossible to solve global hunger," Basu said.

Follow Kehkashan Basu on Instagram and Twitter.

2. Leah Namugerwa, Uganda

Seventeen-year-old Leah Namugerwa is an activist from Uganda fighting to make her home country, and the world, a more sustainable place for all people. In 2018, she learned of the high rates of hunger that people in Northern Uganda were experiencing due to drought and landslides, which were brought on by climate change.

She began striking on Fridays in front of the Ugandan Parliament, inspired by Greta Thunberg's campaign Fridays for Future. Since then, Namugerwa has advocated for planting trees, banning plastic bags, and saving the Bugoma Forest to prevent the human consequences that will emerge from climate change.

Follow Leah Namugerwa on Instagram and Twitter.

3. Joshua Williams, United States

We are excited to announce that Joshua Williams is a finalist for the @MiamiChamber#2020HYPEAwards! This annual recognition honors our community's young professionals who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in their field. Congrats, Joshua!
*#Miami#MiamiChamber pic.twitter.com/tbOdlhnUMX
- Joshua's Heart (@joshuasheart) December 9, 2020

At just 4 years old, Joshua Williams knew that no one should be hungry. While walking with his mom, Williams gave his pocket money to a person experiencing homelessness and started paying attention to how widespread the problem of food insecurity is in the United States and other countries.

The organization that arose from his beliefs, Joshua's Heart Foundation, distributes food and other types of aid to hundreds of thousands of people around the world. Now at age 20, Williams' activism has inspired other young people to take action to defeat poverty by volunteering and starting their open branches of Joshua's Heart Foundation.

Follow Joshua Williams' foundation on Twitter.

4. Webster Makombe, Zimbabwe

In 2019, Global Citizen spoke to Webster Makombe about his work to fight malnutrition in Zimbabwe by working with government leaders and organizations to prioritize access to safe, sufficient, and nutritious food. Now, at age 21, Makombe followed up with Global Citizen to share how he has continued his activism.

"There was a huge drawback on some of the progress that had been made, however the [COVID-19] pandemic has been able to put some of the hunger and nutrition issues that we have been advocating for [in] the spotlight," he told Global Citizen. "So, during the whole year of 2020 spilling into this year, I have been working on calling for the transformation of food systems and social behaviors towards food."

Makombe is a core leader of the #Act4Change campaign, which demands government leaders implement sustainable agricultural practices to fight world hunger. He is also working on completing his education, with the goal of becoming a policy maker who prioritizes laws to end hunger and defend the planet.

"We as young people should focus on regenerative and sustainable agriculture, working towards nourishing people and [the] planet together," Makombe said.

Follow Webster Makombe on Instagram and Twitter.

5. Sophie Healy-Thow, Ireland

Sophie Healy-Thow is a youth activist who focuses on improving access to safe, affordable, and nutritious food in undernourished communities. While studying International Development and Food Policy in Ireland, Healy-Thow is also a member of the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement (SUN), which engages activists, organizations, and world leaders to end malnutrition to fight world hunger.

She also sees a clear connection between issues like gender equality, climate change, and world hunger, which inspired her to work on helping women in agriculture implement sustainable growing methods. Earlier this year, Healy-Thow addressed the interconnected problems through The Midday Snackbox, a podcast she produced with anti-poverty organization Concern.

Follow Sophie Healy-Thow on Instagram and Twitter.
You can join the Global Citizen Live campaign to defend the planet and defeat poverty by taking action here, and become part of a movement powered by citizens around the world who are taking action together with governments, corporations, and philanthropists to make change.

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5 Youth Activists Tackling World Hunger to Follow on International Youth Day

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International Youth Day, designated by the UN in the year 2000, is celebrated every Aug. 12 to recognize young people living around the world and the distinct issues that will affect the next generation of world leaders, activists, and Global Citizens.

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How a 12-Year-Old Worked to Stop Child Labor

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How a 12-Year-Old Worked to Stop Child Labor

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https://givingcompass.org/article/how-a-12-year-old-worked-to-stop-child-labor

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* Craig Kielburger is the founder of Free the Children, a movement to stop the process of child labor around the world. Kielburger's story starts when he found out about Iqbal Masih, a four year old boy in Pakistan working in a carpet factory.

* Kielburger encourages more young people to get involved in activism just like he did. Is there more opportunity now with social media and youth-led movements for young people to start creating real social change?

* Read about the child labor laws in the U.S. that do not protect children.

Iqbal Masih was sold to a Pakistani carpet factory when he was four years old as collateral on a loan his parents had taken out to pay for their eldest son's wedding. For six years, Iqbal worked 12 hour days, six days a week, tying the tiny knots that make up the expensive Pakistani carpets coveted by tourists.

Seven thousand miles from Pakistan, however, another 12 year-old boy committed Iqbal's story to memory, an act that marked the birth of a youth-driven movement against child labor that would span 20 countries.

Craig Kielburger was searching through a Toronto newspaper for the comics when a photo of Iqbal caught his eye. He read Iqbal's story and held it up as a mirror to his own life in Canada - going to school, hanging out with friends, running with the cross country team. What he saw reflected back at him were profound differences between the two.

With the dawning realization that slavery was still very much in existence, Craig Kielburger photocopied the article on Iqbal Masih and gathered statistics on child labor at the local library. With all the idealism and zeal of youth, he spoke to his class about what he had learned, and his crusade against child labor had begun.

The Kielburger home eventually became the world headquarters for Free the Children (FTC), a nonprofit organization that works to abolish child labor practices worldwide. Today, over 100,000 children in 27 countries - including Canada, the US, Mexico, India, Brazil, Ghana, and Pakistan - have been involved in FTC activities, and the organization receives thousands of letters each week from children who want to get involved.
Read the full article on child labor from Prodios at Medium.

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How a 12-Year-Old Worked to Stop Child Labor

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Craig Kielburger is the founder of Free the Children, a movement to stop the process of child labor around the world. Kielburger's story starts when he found out about Iqbal Masih, a four year old boy in Pakistan working in a carpet factory. Kielbur

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https://borgenproject.org/10-child-labor-facts/

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10 Shocking Child Labor Facts - The Borgen Project

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Here are 10 child labor facts about the perpetuating cycle of poverty that results from depriving children of an education. These shocking facts about child labor demonstrate the detrimental effects of the practice on the countries which it plagues.

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https://www.americanhumane.org/position-statement/animal-population-control/

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Animal Population Control - American Humane Society

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All cats and dogs adopted from animal care facilities should be spayed or neutered Pet “overpopulation” encompasses two primary factors: (1) allowing cats and dogs to reproduce with little chance to find homes for the offspring and (2) pets being relinquished by owners who can no longer keep their animals, or who no longer want […]

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Iqbal Masih and Craig Kielburger, Child Labor, Teen Activist, text and video

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Iqbal Masih and Craig Kielburger, Child Labor, Teen Activist, text and video

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https://www.we.org/en-US/about-we/get-in-touch/press/in-the-media/marc-and-craig/cbs-news-a-worldwide-mission-of-kids-helping-kids

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The following script is from "Children Helping Children" which aired on Nov. 25, 2012. Scott Pelley is the correspondent. Nicole Young, producer.

The things that we're thankful for tend to come from people who devote their lives to something greater than themselves. Many folks come to that devotion late in life. But Craig Kielburger discovered it early. He was in seventh grade when the death of a boy changed his life. It was a change so profound that, through Kielburger, it has now saved and transformed lives around the globe. In that moment, 17 years ago, Craig Kielburger was struck by a profound truth - something as important as changing the world can't be left to grown ups.

Craig Kielburger: Kids are looking to get involved. They're searching for it. And in an era where, you know adults often are looking for meaning and purpose in their lives, kids also want to assert who they are, not just by the videogames they play or the peer groups they belong to, but by the contribution they make. And that's part of a youth self-identity in the world. And not only is it good for the child, my God, our world needs it.

For information on Free The Children, click here

Craig Kielburger was a child when he noticed the needs of the world. As a 12-year-old in Canada he read about the murder of a boy his age in Pakistan. Iqbal Masih was a slave in a carpet factory. Masih escaped to lead a campaign against servitude. But within two years he was silenced. Kielburger put down the newspaper and rose to speak.

Craig Kielburger: We're talking about labor and the exploitation of children.

He made Iqbal Masih's fight, his own. He talked to classmates, to Congress, to Parliament. To call him "precocious" is an understatement as our own Ed Bradley found out in 1996.

Ed Bradley: But what made you think you could do something about it?

Craig Kielburger: Originally, I didn't think I could, really. But the only way we're going to ever find out is try. So after doing some research, I just walked to my classmates and said, "Listen, I read this article. Here's a problem. This is what I know" - which at that point was not very much - and asked, 'Who wants to help?'

Turned out 11 friends wanted to help. With no money to start with, no wealthy parents or early backers, they met in his living room and started a charity called Free The Children.

[Ed Bradley: Why you?

Craig Kielburger: Why not? If everyone in the world could say, "Why me?" - then nothing ever would be accomplished. Why me? Because I've met those children. Because I've seen them. Because I read the story of Iqbal Masih. Why not me?]

In the 1990's, Kielburger wanted to free children from slavery. So he went to Asia recruiting activists and government authorities to bust child sweatshops and sex traffickers. There were early successes. But, when we went overseas with Kielburger, he told us freeing children was much more complicated than he had first imagined.

Scott Pelley: What are some of the things that didn't work out? What have you learned?

Craig Kielburger: You know, probably the lowest moment ever was the first time in Southeast Asia, when we met children who we had freed before who are back in slavery. To see that some of those same kids would end up back in the same grinding, backbreaking, desperate poverty, there is nothing that makes your heart fall more than that.

Kids he freed were being pulled back into servitude, years later, by centuries old culture and traditions shaped by poverty and illiteracy.

Scott Pelley: At the point that you saw that your original big idea wasn't working, why didn't you throw in the towel?

Craig Kielburger: There were points frankly where there was a frustration, anger and maybe a slight desire to throw in the towel, but never a consideration of it seriously. Because that first trip I took before I sat down with Ed Bradley and that first 60 Minutes episode that was a turning point in our lives. That first trip, I made promises to a lot of kids there that at that time there was almost nothing that Free The Children could do in practice. We didn't have schools and projects and offices around the world. And the only thing I could promise them at that point was that I would share their stories with whoever would listen. And I just wouldn't give up. And when you make a promise, you have to fulfill it.

The way to keep that promise, he decided, was to attack hardship and ignorance - the very roots of slavery. Today, Free The Children is in 45 countries. A $30 million a year charity building schools, providing clean water, and connecting local craftsmen to world markets where their traditions bring in good money. There are two million volunteers nearly all of them under the age of 18.

Craig Kielburger: So Free the Children today is the world's largest network of children helping children. So what that means in practice is we inspire kids. Then we give them all the tools they need to learn about these issues: speaking tours, summer leadership camps, curriculum every week. Our bet that we're making is if you give kids the inspiration and the tools to change the world, it'll change their own lives also in the process. And the ripple effect is incredible.

[Volunteer: Are we ready for We Day?

Kids: We are.]

You can feel that ripple in the Free The Children celebrations that Kielburger calls "We Day." He does as many as nine of these a year and when we came to this one in Vancouver there were 20,000 kids.

We Day's feature acts like Nelly Furtado, Jennifer Hudson, and lectures by activists including Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu. But listen to what happens when Kielburger takes the stage.

Craig Kielburger: We Day isn't just a day. We Day is a movement. A movement that happens all year long.

Kielburger is joined on stage every We Day by his older brother Marc, who manages the financial side of Free The Children.

Marc Kielburger: Just like you coming together and taking action.

Scott Pelley: When we see in the stadium all those faces of all those kids, how did they get there?

Craig Kielburger: You can't buy a ticket to We Day. Any kid can earn their way in for whatever cause they care about. Half local, half global. And they're there. These are kids who have done, you know, bake sales and car washes and volunteered at retirement homes and local support lines and they've started their own charities and when they leave, they bring that inspiration. We Day is just the beginning.

We followed that bake sale money back to St. Ann's school in Bridgeport, Conn. Free The Children recruits through schools, almost turning them into chapters of the global organization.

Scott Pelley: There is so much trouble in the world.

Magdalena Dutkowska: Yes.

When we met 11-year-old, Magdalena Dutkowska and 12-year-old Joey Hopkins, they were headed to Kenya, inspired by their first We Day.

Magdalena Dutkowska: We Day is like the biggest thing in the world, it's like the greatest event that could ever happen and so it's just all these important people coming to one day to one event to talk about how we can change the world.

Craig Kielburger: When a child donates their birthday money, there is an incredible responsibility that comes with that to make sure- we have kids who have walked up to us and handed us a piggy bank. There is such a responsibility to make sure that money gets to where it's supposed to go.

Scott Pelley: When the bake sale money comes in and the piggy bank money comes in and you count that up, what's it come to?

Craig Kielburger: Well, you know, the average kid probably gives, you know, somewhere between one, maybe five, maybe $10- over the course of a school. That's maybe $1,500 around-

Scott Pelley: So how do you save the world on that kind of money?

Craig Kielburger: Oh, that adds up to millions and millions of dollars. Tens upon tens of millions of dollars every year for our projects. A penny is almost like a kid. People walk past pennies all the time and ignore them, think they- they're insignificant. Kind of like kids. You don't really think twice. Can they really make a difference? But when you bring enough young people, enough kids together, then suddenly those kids can change the world.

And this is one of the places that Kielburger set out to change, the Masaai Mara in Kenya. The Mara offers nearly every wonder of East Africa. The traditions of the Masaai people are rich but their access to water and education is among the poorest in the world.

Joey Hopkins and Magdalena Dutkowska raised enough money back in Connecticut to join other volunteers to build a new classroom here. Each year 2,400 kids lend their hands overseas.

Over the last 10 years, 130 schools have been built in Kenya. This one was finished in 2010. Now, 91 students are enrolled. Among them Sharon, Naiomi, Faith and Marcella.

Scott Pelley: Sharon, let me start with you. What does this school mean to you?

Sharon: It means a lot to me. Because, at first, I could not even talk to people like you now. I did not understand English well. But now, this school has helped me a lot to know more English and gain more confidence.

Scott Pelley: How long have you been in this school?

Sharon: One and a half years.

Scott Pelley: You've learned this much English in one and a half years?

Sharon: Yes.

Scott Pelley: That's amazing.

Scott Pelley: How many of you think you're going to go to university? Everybody.

And now a university education will be open to more students because after three weeks here, a new classroom was built by the kids of Free The Children. With two students at each desk this classroom will hold about 50.

At the end of the project, the Masaai honored Magdalena and Joey with a celebration and a traditional gift.

Joey Hopkins: I was just standing there with my goat that they gave me. I was just like, "Wow." Our like- we did this and we gave this new education to these kids and now they are so grateful for it.

Scott Pelley: What are you going to do with the goat?

Joey Hopkins: Well, I haven't seen my goat in awhile, actually. So I miss it, but I'm going to have to leave it here in Kenya.

Scott Pelley: Leave it here? Don't you-

Joey Hopkins: Yeah.

Scott Pelley: -think your mother would like to have it back in Connecticut?

Joey Hopkins: I wish she would, but we can't even have a dog let alone a goat.

Scott Pelley: What are you gonna tell the kids back at school about the experience here? What do they need to know?

Joey Hopkins: What they need to know is that poverty is a real thing. And starve- kids starving, like, that are five or four years old is a real thing. That not everyone in the world can just go downstairs, turn on the tap, and get a glass of water. And that not everyone has a proper education. And that you should really be thankful for the things you have.

By the time they cut the ribbon it was hard for us to figure which kids had gained the most. The Kenyans got a new classroom, but it was the American kids who learned, they can be the change in the world.

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CBS News - A worldwide mission of kids helping kids

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The following script is from "Children Helping Children" which aired on Nov. 25, 2012. Scott Pelley is the correspondent. Nicole Young, producer. The things that we're thankful for tend to come from people who devote their lives to something greater than themselves. Many folks come to that devotion late in life.

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Supporting Education and Activism on Malala Day, Girls Education, text

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Supporting Education and Activism on Malala Day, Girls Education, text

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https://www.womankind.org.uk/supporting-education-and-activism-on-malala-day/

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https://doczz.net/doc/8495923/a-heroic-return7454/malala_yousafzai_time_for_kids_article.pdf

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The Clock Is Ticking: Youth and Environmental Activism

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The Clock Is Ticking: Youth and Environmental Activism

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https://www.fnu.edu/community-service-important/

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Community Service Has a Number of Important Benefits

Engaging in community service provides students with the opportunity to become active members of their community which has a lasting, positive impact on society at large. Community service or volunteerism enables students to acquire life skills, as well as provide a service to those who need it most. These are some of the common benefits of participating in a community service program:

1. Psychological benefits: Volunteering increases overall life satisfaction and helps you feel good about yourself because you are helping others.

2. Social benefits: Volunteering engages students with the community, creates special bonds with the population being served, and increases social awareness and responsibility.

3. Cognitive benefits: Volunteering helps students enhance their personal knowledge, grow from new experiences, and develop important interpersonal communication skills.

Participating in community service not only makes a difference to the organization and people being served, but also makes a difference to every student's career prospects. Participating in community service activities helps to enhance student resumes by allowing students to obtain work-related skills prior to graduation, builds good references for employers in regards to community involvement, and provides a forum to network with future potential employers. It also helps students develop civic and social responsibility skills and become more aware of what their community needs.

You can also make a positive contribution to your community by earning an online degree in criminal justice or psychology. Contact us today for more information about our programs where you can learn how to help real people and leave a positive impact on the world.

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Why is Community Service Important? - Florida National University

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Community Service Has a Number of Important Benefits Engaging in community service provides students with the opportunity to become active members of their community which has a lasting, positive impact on society at large. Community service or volunteerism enables students to acquire life skills, as well as provide a service to those who need it...

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https://www.fnu.edu/community-service-important/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Community Service Has a Number of Important Benefits

Engaging in community service provides students with the opportunity to become active members of their community which has a lasting, positive impact on society at large. Community service or volunteerism enables students to acquire life skills, as well as provide a service to those who need it most. These are some of the common benefits of participating in a community service program:

1. Psychological benefits: Volunteering increases overall life satisfaction and helps you feel good about yourself because you are helping others.

2. Social benefits: Volunteering engages students with the community, creates special bonds with the population being served, and increases social awareness and responsibility.

3. Cognitive benefits: Volunteering helps students enhance their personal knowledge, grow from new experiences, and develop important interpersonal communication skills.

Participating in community service not only makes a difference to the organization and people being served, but also makes a difference to every student's career prospects. Participating in community service activities helps to enhance student resumes by allowing students to obtain work-related skills prior to graduation, builds good references for employers in regards to community involvement, and provides a forum to network with future potential employers. It also helps students develop civic and social responsibility skills and become more aware of what their community needs.

You can also make a positive contribution to your community by earning an online degree in criminal justice or psychology. Contact us today for more information about our programs where you can learn how to help real people and leave a positive impact on the world.

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Why is Community Service Important? - Florida National University

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Community Service Has a Number of Important Benefits Engaging in community service provides students with the opportunity to become active members of their community which has a lasting, positive impact on society at large. Community service or volunteerism enables students to acquire life skills, as well as provide a service to those who need it...

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Spencer Platt/Getty Images, Twitter, Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Teen Vogue

Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish climate activist, sparked a massive online response when she delivered a scathing speech at the United Nations General Assembly to shame leaders from around the world for their inaction on climate change.

Though Thunberg's brazen comments to the leaders marked a pivotal moment for youth involvement in climate change advocacy, young activists have been bucking the norms for years to spark change among their peers and leaders alike on issues including gun control, education, and LGBTQ rights.

Activists have come from diverse backgrounds that include Hollywood, the aftermath of a school shooting, and Taliban-ruled Pakistan, but see how they've all earned global reputations.

Shamma bint Suhail Faris Mazrui, 23, youth advocacy

Twitter

After an impressive academic career that includes a bachelor's degree from New York University Abu Dhabi and becoming the United Arab Emirates' first Rhodes Scholar, which earned her a master's in public policy from the University of Oxford, Mazrui was appointed as Minister of State for Youth Affairs when she was 22.

The nod earned her a spot on the 2018 Forbes Middle East Arab 30 under 30 list, but she describes her role as a much larger effort to empower young people in the UAE to be active in their society and government.

"In the UAE, Arab youth are similar to youth around the world," Mazrui told the Los Angeles Times of how she seeks to boost fellow young people's abilities. "They all want to go to the best universities. They all want to have stable careers. They want lives of purpose and they want to feel part of a cohesive community and family."

Malala Yousafzai, 22, women's and girl's education

Yousafzai was an activist long before she became the youngest Nobel Prize laureate in history in 2014, but she's since become a household name.

Growing up in Pakistan under Taliban occupation, Yousafzai's family ran a chain of schools, which inspired her impassioned and public defense of women's education, that included the then-11-year-old writing a blog post under a pen name for the BBC and starring in a New York Times documentary about life in the middle of military occupation.

However, her outspoken spirit earned her enemies in the Taliban and in October 2012, Yousafzai was shot on a school bus. She not only survived the attack, but also became the center of an international movement to support her that led Taliban officials to announce a possible second assassination attempt.

She later published her first book, " I Am Malala." Yousafzai and her family have since moved to the United Kingdom, where she is currently studying at Oxford.

Parkland shooting survivors, various ages, gun control

David Hogg, Jaclyn Corin, Emma González, Cameron Kasky, and Alex Wind were at the center of a massive youth movement for gun control after surviving a massacre that killed 17 of their classmates at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

The five teenagers sparked the #NeverAgain movement, which saw thousands of students walk out of school in a massive nationwide youth protest that swelled behind causes like stricter gun regulation and a general increase in youth participation in politics and policy.

The students have gone on to continue their work as vocal advocates for advancing gun policies and youth participation through online campaigns, media appearances, and speaking tours.

Yara Shahidi, 19, women's and girl's engagement

Shahidi first entered the spotlight as a young actress but came into her own right as an activist after taking on issues like diversity in Hollywood and female empowerment in education.

She formed Yara's Club in partnership with The Young Women's Leadership School, which sets up digital hangouts for high school students together to discuss and confront social issues.

Shahidi also worked on former first lady Michelle Obama's Let Girls Learn education initiative before Obama provided her with a letter of recommendation that contributed to her road to undergraduate studies at Harvard University.

Isra Hirsi, 16, climate change awareness

Hirsi is the eldest daughter of prominent Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, but she's earned a reputation in her own right as a climate change activist.

After learning about the sharp racially divided effects of climate change, then-15-year-old Hirsi sprung into action to get climate change on the official agendas of local and national lawmakers.

In January 2019, Hirsi founded the US Youth Climate Strike group, an American chapter of a global climate activist movement. In her role as executive director, Hirsi has been a key part of activating a chapter to join the estimated 1.6 million students across 120 countries to skip school in March to demand official action on climate change and spoke at the Minneapolis march as part of the global climate strike on September 20.

Marley Diaz, 14, diverse representation

Dias is the founder of the #1000blackgirlbooks campaign, which she started when she was 11 in 2015 to collect and donate 1,000 books to her peers that featured black girls as the main characters when she was "sick of reading about white boys and dogs," she told her mom.

The campaign was a massive success, and she's since been honored on the Forbes30 Under 30 list. In January 2018, she published a book to inspire other potential activists titled " Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You!"

She told the Chicago Tribune in 2018 that even as a published author, her initial mission remains intact as she wants to create and share stories to "be reflected for the black girls who are reading them, so they can identify themselves and learn about their history" as well as "open up to people who are different, to understand and to see and grow from those things we don't understand."

Mari Copeny, 11, water access

Copeny, who is also known as "Little Miss Flint," shot to fame when she was eight years old in March 2016 when she wrote a letter to President Barack Obama about the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. After reading her letter, Obama flew to Flint and shined a national spotlight on the crisis.

After her big presidential moment, Copeny has continued her work, including in ads for the Peoples Climate March and starting the hashtag #WednesdaysForWater, in which she sends out a weekly alert about places in need of clean water. Copeny's partnership with a water-filtration company also facilitates drinkable water in deprived communities.

Read the original article on INSIDER. Copyright 2019. Follow INSIDER onTwitter.

Climate Change

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These 10 young activists are trying to move the needle on climate change, gun control, and other global issues

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Young activists have been bucking the norms for years to spark change on behalf of gun control, education, and LGBTQ issues.

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Teen Activists Mobilize Massive Black Lives Matter

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Teen Activists Mobilize Massive Black Lives Matter

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Teen activists mobilize massive Black Lives Matter protest through social media

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Greta Thunberg Is Leading a Global Climate Movement

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"Little Miss Flint" Mari Copeny reflects on tackling water crisis since 8 years old

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3 Youth Activists Fighting to End Malnutrition

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3 Youth Activists Fighting to End Malnutrition

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Ending hunger by 2030 is the second United Nations' Global Goal, which is becoming increasingly out of reach as food insecurity rises. These youth activists are working to make nutrition a core development priority. You can join us in taking action on this issue here.
Providing communities with nutritious food is a simple and effective way to help women gain economic independence, boost student grades, and improve health outcomes.

It's not a cure-all for the many humanitarian problems that affect the world, but it is key to any holistic approach to development. What's more, there's more than enough food being produced around the world every year to make this intervention possible.

Yet the number of hungry and malnourished people worldwide is rising, jeopardizing progress on the United Nations' Global Goals.

In 2018, 821 million people were chronically hungry; another 1.3 billion people faced periods of moderate or severe food insecurity; and 2.3 billion people were overweight, according to the UN's latest food security report.

An even larger food crisis is also already taking shape as climate change intensifies.

A multi-year drought has caused widespread crop failures in Kenya. The supercharged Cyclone Idai destroyed millions of acres of farmland in Southern Africa earlier this year. Rising temperatures are making it harder to grow popular crops like avocados and coffee, while also empowering pests that devour farmland. And rising sea levels in Southeast Asia are flooding rice fields with saltwater.

To make matters worse, conflicts are disrupting the ability of farmers to grow crops; more than a third of all food produced globally is wasted; and farmland is too often set aside for cash crops rather than nutritionally dense crops.

Despite these trends, hunger isn't inevitable in the future. Governments, civil society, and corporations can develop and fund policies that prioritize nutrition, improve agriculture and food distribution, and safeguard communities from climate change.

A growing generation of youth leaders has emerged to make sure these goals are achieved. They're calling for nutrition to become a central focus of all development projects and insist that access to quality food is a human right.

These advocates are helping their communities become food independent. They're making their voices heard in influential decision-making bodies, educating young people about nutrition, and helping agricultural systems become more climate resilient.

Here are three food and nutrition advocates whose work you should definitely know about.

Maureen Muketha, Kenya, 23

Although women plant, tend to, and harvest a significant amount of the crops grown in Kajiado County in Kenya, they generally don't control what happens to the food on its way from the farm to table.

That's because men own the vast majority of land in Kenya. After women grow the crops, men decide if the plants are retained for household sustenance or sold at the market for income; and if they're sold, men decide what happens to the money that's earned.

This gender divide often leads to higher rates of malnutrition in women who are deprived of their dietary autonomy, which then results in higher rates of malnutrition for children.

In fact, adolescent girls aged 15-19 are the most malnourished demographic in the country, and anemia is widespread in pregnant women and children because of a lack of access to iron-rich foods.

"It's not equal and fair," Maureen Muketha, an activist trying to close the gender nutrition gap and improve health across Kenya, told Global CItizen.

Muketha has a degree in nutrition studies from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. She applies the knowledge she gained at university by holding nutrition workshops in the town of Kiserian in Kajiado County, where she teaches women about micronutrients, how to prevent anemia, and the importance of a diverse diet.

"The woman is the one who is in charge of the kitchen so once she appreciates how diet is important in terms of immunity and prevention of lifestyle diseases, she will be able to practice that when she goes home," she said.

Muketha is also trying to transform how food is produced in the country through a nonprofit she created called Tule Vyema, which means "let's eat right" in Swahili.

In recent years, an increasing amount of farmland in Kenya has been dedicated to cash crops like tea and khat, a plant that people chew for its stimulating effects. As a result, indigenous crops that have high nutritional value have become less common and more expensive.

"This affects nutrition because there's very little supply of food," Muketha said, adding that when people have little option in what to buy, they often end up with highly processed, low nutrition foods.

After women attend Muketha's workshops, she teaches them about sack farming, a highly efficient type of farming that allows women to take advantage of the small plots of garden space that are available to them in front of their homes.

Sack farming gives women a measure of control over food production. Instead of cash crops, Mukethe encourages women to cultivate indigenous crops - including amaranth, African Nightshade, and cowpeas - that are rich in nutrients and thrive in local weather conditions.

While most of the crops grown using this method are used to supplement diets and provide key nutrients, women are able to sell surplus at the market to earn some money - that can be used to pay school fees and medical bills.

Sack farming has created a miniature movement in Kiserian. Muketha has helped 420 households gain greater food security so far and many women who pick up sack farming become evangelists of the method, teaching others about nutrition and the value of indigenous vegetables.

Muketha views nutrition through the larger frame of health. In addition to improving diets, Tule Vyema also deworms communities and teaches the value of hygiene to protect people from infectious diseases.

She ultimately wants to expand to other counties in Kenya and even beyond the country's borders.

Right now, she's trying to help women who live in rented properties who might not be able to farm the land in front of their houses. Leasing land might be the only way to get around this problem, but that's a route that would give Tule Vyema much greater agricultural capacity.

"We will not leave out a woman who wants to be part of the project," she said.

Webster Makombe, Zimbabwe, 19

More than a quarter of children in Zimbabwe are stunted, which is when a child under the age of five is restricted physically or cognitively because of a lack of nutrition.

For Webster Makombe, a nutrition activist with Scaling Up Nutrition and law student in Harare, Zimbabwe, stunting is an injustice that reflects misguided agricultural and health policies and a lack of nutrition awareness throughout the country.

That's why he's tackling the problem from two angles. First, he's trying to make nutrition a top government priority by attending forums and meeting with officials and sounding the alarm on stunting.

He told Global Citizen that the government should create a department focused exclusively on nutrition to ensure that the most vulnerable populations aren't suffering from diet-related health problems. Right now, nutrition gets overlooked, he said, which results in government policies that are well-meaning but ineffective.

"There's a problem where people mistake food security for nutrition," he said. "There's plenty of maize, but the government is feeding children maize for one meal, then another meal. They're pumping carbs into children."

"We need a variety of crops to be grown to foster nutrition," he said.

Makombe said that a range of other problems from school performance to health outcomes can be addressed by improving nutrition rates.

"Nutrition is a key driving force when it comes to economic development," he said.

Changing government policy is difficult when you're a college student, so Makombe's second angle of action is through community activism.

He hosts community nutrition workshops throughout Zimbabwe, where he informs people about the risk of stunting and other health problems that stem from malnutrition.

"Malnutrition is different from hunger," he said. "People definitely know when their stomach is hungry, but if someone is eating and you tell them it's not good for them, they might be skeptical."

"But malnutrition is real and it's something that has to be looked at," he added.

Sophie Healy Thow, Ireland, 19

Sophie Healy Thow got launched into the international nutrition space when she was just 15 - when her science project on how to make faster-growing and higher-yielding crops won the 2014 Google Science Prize.

Since then, she's traveled from her home in Cork, Ireland, to give a Ted Talk, attend international conferences, and participate in the Paris climate agreement. She's on Scaling Up Nutrition's lead group (SUN), a global network of nutrition experts and advocates aiming to end undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and obesity. Healy-Thow also co-founded the nonprofit Agrikua to empower female farmers.

Through all of her appearances, she's been trying to elevate the status of nutrition in international development. She's particularly committed to raising awareness of how climate change affects food security.

"Malnutrition is one of the biggest issues of our time," she told Global Citizen. "And it's something that's preventable. It's not like we don't have enough food in the world; we have enough food to feed everyone twice over."

"Nutrition and climate change are connected, but within the climate action movement, nutrition is being left behind," she said.

Climate change is already contributing to food insecurity, Healy-Thow said. Droughts, heatwaves, and extreme weather events are making it harder to grow crops in agricultural hotspots.

"Climate change is completely disrupting our food system," she said. "Disasters are displacing people, the majority of farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa, especially women under the age of 50, have seen severe crop failures."

Healy-Thow said that nutrition is an issue that affects every country - from the college students in Ireland who can't afford their next meal to the female farmers in Kenya who don't have access to nutritious vegetables - and could unite activists around the world.

Youth activists, in particular, have the power to create a movement around nutrition - but only if their voices are incorporated in decision-making processes.

"Young people need to be represented and listened to at high-level meetings," said Healy-Thow. "No more can the future generation be added in at the very last minute, they need to be at the core of program planning and management, because thinking about them at the last minute and pushing them in the room, isn't good enough, they need to be co-creators with heads of state."

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3 Youth Activists Fighting to End Malnutrition Who You Should Definitely Know About

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Ending hunger by 2030 is the second United Nations' Global Goal, which is becoming increasingly out of reach as food insecurity rises. These youth activists are working to make nutrition a core development priority. You can join us in taking action on this issue here.

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What to be a Teen Activist? Here are some tips.

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What to be a Teen Activist? Here are some tips.

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Want to be a youth activist? Here are some tips | CBC Kids News

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Girls Gone Activist! How to Change the World Through Education

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Girls Gone Activist! How to Change the World Through Education

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Edited by Joanne Conelly, Gaëlle Dessus, Anna Diarra, et al.
Youth Activism Project, School Girls Unite
118 pages. $16 paperback. Free full-color PDF download.

A few years ago, a small group of seventh-grade girls in Maryland were shocked to learn that their peers in developing countries must pay to attend school. Families in poverty can barely afford their sons' education; daughters as young as 9 get married instead of going to school. Founding School Girls Unite, an organization "to let the whole world know," these girls formed a mission: "Tackling prejudice against girls worldwide and expanding their freedom and opportunities through education."

They found partners in the French-speaking West African nation of Mali, where only 15 in 100 females know how to read. A few of the rare girls attending high school and college in Mali formed a sister organization, Les Filles Unies pour l'Education.

The American group raises money to send 75 girls in Mali to school each year, while the group in Mali visits the sponsored girls' villages to see how they are doing. Both groups inspire others to address the worldwide education problem. They also lobby their national leaders to hasten efforts to fulfill the United Nations Millennium Development Declaration, which promises that gender disparity will be eliminated by 2015, with every child around the world receiving primary schooling.

In her foreword, Wendy Schaetzel Lesko, a leader in civic engagement through her Youth Activism Project, discusses how this collaboration began, with brainstorming among girls she brought together with young African women in the Washington, D.C., area. Lesko is a guiding force as coordinator of School Girls Unite.

In this action guide, 13 contributors from Les Filles Unies and 28 from School Girls Unite explain why educating girls is a key to solving such global problems as poverty, HIV/AIDS, hunger, war and sexism. The book features text in English on the left-hand pages and in French on the right. Black-and-white photographs show both groups in action, along with the children in Mali whom they support. Bulleted lists, bold type and inset quotes from youth make the pages easy to digest.

Clear instruction in basic skills of activism include public-speaking tips; a pep talk on being assertive in promoting your cause; communications etiquette, such as asking the school principal for permission to campaign; fundraising ideas, from selling pencils to putting on an elaborate dance soirée in Mali; getting media attention, like the photo-op the American girls scored with Hillary Clinton; and lobbying.

This treasury of encouragement and strategies can serve as a handbook for any youth-led cause. Videos and links on the girls' website offer more tools for helping others join them in making this girls' education movement global. (800) 543-7693, http://www.schoolgirlsunite.org.

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Girls Gone Activist! How to Change the World Through Education

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Edited by Joanne Conelly, Gaëlle Dessus, Anna Diarra, et al. Youth Activism Project, School Girls Unite 118 pages. $16 paperback. Free full-color PDF download. A few years ago, a small group of seventh-grade girls in Maryland were shocked to learn that their peers in developing countries must pay to attend school.

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Malala and teen activists on learning to speak out

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Top 10 Youngest and Most Influential Activists

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Top 10 Youngest and Most Influential Activists

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Top 10 Youngest and Most Influential Activists

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Malala Yousafzai was born on July 12, 1997 in Mingora Pakistan, she was 12 years old when the taliban, an islamic militant group, invaded Swat Valley, her home town. Taliban took over swat valley, so they couldn't dance or sing, laugh, play, not even go to school to get their education. Taliban didn't think girls should not get education and just do house work. Malala did not believe in what the taliban believed in so she went back to school. When Malala was 14 she was being tracked down by the Taliban. Malala was going home from school on a bus when two Taliban men and shot her in the. Malala survived amazingly. Malala uses bravery at times others could take. Malala is strong no matter what she goes through. She speaks with voice not with weapons, " The best way to fight terrorism is education." She fought for 3 million girls who are not in school right now. Malala has won the Nobel Peace Prize and National Youth Peace Prize and others. Malala is a special student because she loves education and others would give up something to get out of education. She could of lost everything of what she did to get education back. Who is this Activist?

What is Malala fighting for?

Malala is fighting for the rights of female education. She is fighting for freedom of the Taliban to sing, dance, play outside, laugh, school. Malala says " The best way to fight terrorism is education". Malala has even set up a fund called "The Malala Fund". This fund raises money for girls who can't go to school, girls who can't pay for education. Malala kept on fighting for what she believed in even after the bullet. She wrote a book about her journey called "I am Malala".

What makes Malala special or unique?

Alex libby has been bullied at East Middle School. He was a 6th grader and regular stangle and punch. Alex was in a documentary about being a victim of bullies. He was one of the 13 million victims of bullying. On Alex's journey he got to meet a pageant winner and had a chat with her. He even got to go to the White House.

Alex Libby is fighting for the silent, people who were victim of bullying like himself. He wants to show how bad bullying is to people and what the consequences come with it. Alex was in a documentary about his journey with bullying. He has completed a goal by showing kids around the world how bullying affects people. What is Alex Libby fighting for?

What makes this person special or unique

Alex Libby is special because he was scared and afraid but he stood up for himself. He did it in a very unique way, he did it with a documentary. He could have been one of the two thousand teens who committed suicide. Alex libby is persistent in his activism. He still stands for the silent today.

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Malala Yousafzai was born on July 12, 1997 in Mingora Pakistan, she was 12 years old when the taliban, an islamic militant group, invaded Swat Valley, her home town. Taliban took over swat valley, so they couldn't dance or sing, laugh, play, not even go to school to get their education.

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On National Child Day, meet clean water activist Autumn Peltier | CBC Kids News

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ESSAY 2: CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ACTIVIST!!!!!!

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Characteristics of an Activist By: Catherine Stetson Teen activists are people who are not afraid to express themselves however they feel. In other words their characteristics .Good qualities...

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5 awesome Tips for Becoming a Young Activist

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5 awesome Tips for Becoming a Young Activist

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Image: Eric Jankstrom / KINGS COUNTY PRODUCTIONS

Mari Copeny, an 11-year-old with an irrepressible desire to make the world a better place, is remarkable proof that you're never too young to be an activist.

Copeny, also known as "Little Miss Flint," is an advocate for her hometown of Flint, Michigan, which has been fighting a life-threatening water crisis since 2014. When she was 8 years old, she penned a powerful letter to President Obama on behalf of Flint and its children, who could no longer drink from the tap, shower without their eyes burning, or even safely use a Slip 'N Slide.

Obama replied to Copeny, visited Flint, and eventually signed off on $100 million in funding to help repair the city's poisoned water system. But Copeny wasn't done advocating for change.

Since 2016, Copeny has founded the Dear Flint Kids Project, raised more than $10,000 for students in her community,become a Women's March Youth Ambassador, and recently started to fight against education inequality. As she enters middle school, the activist wants young people around the world to know they have the power to make a change, too.

Before speaking at Mashable's 9th annual Social Good Summit on Sept. 23, Copeny shared some tips to help guide aspiring young activists looking to take on the world.

1. Don't let your age hold you back

"You're never to young or to small to change the world," Copeny told Mashable via email.

Copeny had been fighting for the kids of Flint for months when she reached out to the president of the United States. She campaigned and marched with her mom, and made plans to take a bus to Washington, D.C, to watch the congressional hearings prior to hearing back from President Obama.

"Never let any adults dull your sparkle."

So to anyone who wants to change the world but is afraid they won't be taken seriously because of their age, Copeny offers the following inspirational words: "Never let any adults dull your sparkle."

"If they don't want to listen to you at first, keep on talking, they will eventually have to hear you out. And once they hear you out, they will see that you have a unique view of the world and that your opinion matters," she said.

"Never let anybody shut you up, and trust me they will try, because you're young and a lot of adults don't think you should have an opinion."

2. Start small. Work up to big.

Attempting to tackle the world's problems at any age can seem intimidating. But if you're looking to become a young activist, Copeny wants to remind you it's perfectly OK to start small.

"Changing the world can start out as something small like helping fix a problem at your school or in your neighborhood," she said. "Think about what really matters the most to you and go for it. It's easy to fight for things that are close to your heart and important to you."

At age 6, the Flint water crisis began impacting Copeny's life personally, which is why she was inspired to act. But those initial efforts have since led her to fight for children all around the country, and she's now expanding her focus to different issues like education inequality. So take the first step, no matter how small, and see where it leads you.

3. Use the power of social media for good

While social media has its fair share of negativity, when it comes to raising awareness on certain issues, protests, facts, or campaigns, platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can be especially helpful.

"Use social media to your advantage," Copeny said. "There are so many people out there who support the same causes that you do, and reaching out to them can help you see that you are not alone."

Copeny currently uses Twitter to communicate with more than 77,000 followers. She offers updates on her activist efforts and shares links to special projects she's involved with - including online fundraisers to sell shirts and receive donations for water bottles that will help benefit the Flint community.

4. Be sure to have fun along the way

Helping others is serious and important work, but Copeny wants you to remember to take a step back every now and again to refresh, dedicating time to self-care.

Amidst all her activist efforts Copeny, makes time for other activities that bring her joy, such as drawing, listening to music, playing video games, and running. And when she is working, she makes sure to enjoy herself whenever possible.

"Have fun. No matter what your cause is you still need to make time to have fun and smile. Don't take yourself too seriously all the time," Copeny said.

5. Never give up

Copeny's final words of wisdom are simple: Don't give up, no matter how difficult things may seem. "It may feel like it's going to be impossible to make real change, but the hardest thing is actually just doing it," she said.

What's next for "Little Miss Flint?"

Copeny's new campaign, which kicked off Sept. 17, aims to raise awareness about education inequality across the country.

"In many inner city schools like Flint, students don't have access to the most up-to-date text books and technology that kids in higher income areas have, making the gap to get a good education even greater," Copeny said. "In order for kids to get ahead, they need access to the latest technology and high speed Internet to try to help level the playing field."

With support from non-profit organizations like Student Voice and Digital Promise, fellow middle school students like 12-year-old Elias Martinez and Donovan Enriquez from San Jose, California, are working alongside Copeny to reach out to local politicians and invite them to Verizon Innovative Learning Schools.

So far they've organized events like an informative leadership panel at which California Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren spoke with students. The long-term plan is to inspire 2 million people to commit to helping America's youth attain quality education by the end of the year.

For each person who pledges to support a future of equal education, The Verizon Foundation will donate $1.00 (up to $2 million) to Project Lead The Way - a non-profit that works with students, teachers, and schools to bring STEM programs to pre-kindergarten through grade 12 classrooms.

Copeny plans to run for president in 2044, but until then she's committed to helping kids around the world and inspiring others to pursue causes close to their hearts.

Social Good Summit coverage:
About Social Good Summit
The intersection of technology and new media has redefined our understanding of human progress. In the midst of this rapidly changing world, the Social Good Summit focuses on where we're headed. Held annually during the United Nations General Assembly week, the Summit unites a lively community of global citizens and progressive thought leaders around a common theme: #2030NOW. A dynamic exploration of the world we want to live in by 2030, the Social Good Summit will focus on how we can unlock technology's potential to make the world a better place. For complete event details, visit socialgoodsummit.com.

This year's summit is brought to you by Mashable, the United Nations Foundation, the United Nations Development Programme, and the 92nd Street Y. For complete event details, visit socialgoodsummit.com.

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Little Miss Flint's 5 awesome tips for becoming a young activist

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Mari Copeny, an 11-year-old with an irrepressible desire to make the world a better place, is remarkable proof that you're never too young to be an activist. Copeny, also known as "Little Miss Flint," is an advocate for her hometown of Flint, Michigan, which has been fighting a life-threatening water crisis since 2014.

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Essay 2: How to become a teen teen activist

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26% of the population in the USA is under the age of 18. According to Youth Activism project. Could imagine how many teen activist that would be? Alot right? Teen activist are teens that never give...