5 Teen Activists Who Are Changing The World
Teen activists are currently leading the way when it comes to political, social and environmental reform. We’re taking a look at 5 teen activists who are changing the world.
Greta Thunberg
Age: 16
Campaign: Strike 4 Climate Action
Greta Thunberg has dominated news headlines this past year. But where did her campaign for climate change reform start? In August 2018, Greta started a strike from school for climate change outside of parliament buildings in Sweden. Since then, ‘Strike 4 Climate’ has become a global project. Teens from all over the world have organised school strikes, marches and protests in order to get the attention of governments.
Most recently, Greta sailed across the Atlantic Ocean from England to New York City. The yacht on which she sailed was equipped with under water turbines and solar panels. When in NYC, Greta delivered a powerful speech on climate change to the UN Summit. You can follow Greta on Twitter for more info on her activism.
Marley Dias
Age: 14
Campaign: #1000BlackGirlBooks
Marley Davis is an education activist based in New Jersey, who started the campaign ‘#1000BlackGirlBooks’. Dissatisfied with the literature on the school curriculum, Marley decided to launch a campaign to collect and highlight books with black female protagonists. With a goal of 1000, Marley managed to collect 9000 books! She donated the books to a school in Jamaica.
Marley’s campaign continues, she told the Guardian her role is to “motivate young girls, regardless of their race or their experience, to get out there and do the things you love and that will help other people.” Marley has written her own book, Marley Davis Gets It Done And So Can You.
Melati and Isabel Wijsen
Age: 17 & 15
Campaign: Bye Bye Plastic Bags
Melati and Isabel Wijsen were 10 and 12 years old when they decided they wanted to make a difference in their native Bali. Having returned home from a school lesson about Nelson Mandela, Princess Diana, and Mahatma Ghandi the girls were inspired to make change happen. In 2013, the girls founded Bye Bye Plastic Bags, an initiative which aimed to reduce the use of plastic bags in Bali. Since then, Bye Bye Plastic Bags has become a global movement.
Amika George
Age: 19
Campaign: #FreePeriods – Period Poverty
Amika George is the founder of #FreePeriods, a campaign that seeks to end period poverty in the UK. The campaign calls on the government to provide free menstrual products to girls in schools. Amika has received a lot of recognition for her work. She received the Goalkeepers award by Bill & Melinda Gates, in conjunction with the UN.
Jazz Jennings
Age: 19
Campaign: Trans Kids Purple Rainbow Foundation
Jazz Jennings is an American LGBTQ+ rights activist. Jazz, a transgender woman, is one the youngest people to become a national transgender figure. Along with her parents, Jazz founded Trans Kids Purple Rainbow Foundation which aims to enhance the lives of transgender kids. One of their mission statements focuses on Gender Dysphoria and how this is something a “child can’t control and it is society that needs to change, not them.”
Jazz has starred in a reality TV Show, I Am Jazz, since 2015. The show follows Jazz and her family as they seek to highlight transgender youth and gender dysphoria in children and teens.
Do you follow any teen activists? Let us know in the comments.