YOUNG MINDS WHO ARE CHANGING THE WORLD

The desire to make this world a better place can occur to us at any age. Good leadership qualities and driving passion is what a person requires to change this world. Therefore, it is actually important that we teach our kids how to be responsible and speak against the injustice prevailing in the world. In fact, many children dream of becoming an activist from from a young age. There are many young and brilliant minds who are actually making this world a better place for the coming generations. From advocating for climate changes to fighting for the right of education, every child activist on this list, are inspiring millions of people around them. Therefore, let’s see how these young minds are actually changing the world and making it a better place to live.

1. MARLEY DIAS

“I am unapologetic about the need for social change, greater inclusion and equity.”

Marley Dias

Marley Dias is an African-American activist and a writer. She is the activist behind the “#1000BlackGirlBooks” Twitter phenomenon. The hashtag was born out of her frustration as she could not find any literature featuring A female Black protagonist. Therefore, she decides to start a book drive to collect around 1000 books and donate them to girls who are like her. This book drive resulted in more than 11000 books catalogued with Black female protagonists. She also wrote the book, “Marley Dias Gets It Done: So Can You” as a guide to positive change through activism.

2. GRETA THUNBERG

“I was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, OCD and selective mutism. That basically means I only speak when I think it’s necessary. Now is one of those moments.”

Greta Thunberg, from her TEDx Talk

Greta Thunberg is a Swedish Environmental activist. She is internationally famous for urging the world leader to take action against the rapid climate change. Her passionate speech at the UN Climate Summit inspired and moved all of us. She has been advocating for environmental sustainability for years. Moreover, she went on to organize Fridays For Future, a school climate strike movement. More than 1 million students around the world took active participation in stronger action against climate change. Moreover, she received many honours and awards for her brave action like inclusion in the Forbes list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women. Also inclusion in Times’s Most Influential people, Greta being the Youngest Time Person Of The Year.

3. EMMA GONZALEZ

“If you actively do nothing, people continually end up dead, so it’s time to start doing something.”

Emma Gonzalez

Emma Gonzalez is an American Activist and an advocate for gun control. After surviving a school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, she along with a group of teens decided to put an end to gun violence. She is the co-founder of ‘Never Again MSD‘, a group for gun control. She also gave a moving speech at March For Lives Rally in which she read the names of her classmates who died during the shooting. In addition to Emma, this teen-group also includes David Hogg, Alex Wind, Jacyln Corin, Cameron Kasky and may others. Therefore, after the work of Emma and her fellow activists, the Florida lawmakers passed the the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act in March 2018.

4. NICHOLAS LOWINGER

The life of Nicholas Lowinger changed when he met a brother and a sister experiencing homelessness. This brother-sister duo took turns in going to school as they just had one pair of shoes. Nicholas gave the boy a pair of basketball sneakers and paved the way for the organization, ‘Gotta Have Sole’. Thus, through this organization he donated over 99,000 footwear to children in homeless shelters. He is also one of the CNN Heroes : Everyday People Changing The World.

5. JAYLEN ARNOLD

Jaylen Arnold is an American activist, philanthropist and actor. He is the founder of Jaylen’s Challenge, an international anti-bullying crusade for people from all walks of life. After being diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome, Asperger’s and OCD, he was constantly bullied by his peers for being different. However, this led him to take a huge step to found the Jaylen Challenge Foundation. Through this foundation he has been able to educate thousands of students to recognize bullying behavior and understand each other’s differences. To date, Jaylen has spoken to more than 120,000 in face-to-face assemblies in classrooms and in corporations all around the world.

6. MALALA YOUSAFZAI

“Even if they come to kill me, I will tell them what they are trying to do is wrong, that education is our basic right.”

Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate. She captured the world’s attention after being shot by the Taliban on her way to school as she was advocating for women’s education. However, she is continuing her charity work and humanitarian efforts through her organization, The Malala Fund.

7. ZURIEL ODUWOLE

Zuriel Oduwole is an education advocate for girls in Africa and a filmmaker. She has interviewed 30 heads of States, created 7 documentaries and continues to advocate for all young women. However, she also has the recognition for fighting against girl child marriages in her country, Mozambique. Therefore, in 2019, the Mozambique Parliament passed the law against child marriage by voting to criminalize child marriage. Thus, she set a strong example for other countries to follow in the region. She is also the founder of the project “Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up”, a campaign for the promotion and advocacy of girl child education in Africa. In 2014, she was listed as the Most Powerful 11-year-old by New York Business Insider.

8. IQBAL MASIH

Iqbal Masih was a Pakistani boy who escaped child slavery when he was 10 years old. He became a leader to put an end to it. He helped over 3000 children escape bondage and slavery and traveled the globe speaking out against the issue. Iqbal was assassinated when he was 12 years old. However, his legacy goes well beyond his death. In 1994 he received the Reebok Human Rights Award in Boston. In 2009 Congress started an annual award in his name given to activists to end abusive child labor.

9. JAZZ JENNINGS

“I have to show people they don’t have to be scared of being different.”

Jazz Jeninngs

At the age of five, Jazz Jennings made headlines as one of the youngest publicly documented people to identify as a transgender. She uses her platform to advocate for LGBTQIA issues specifically regarding trans rights. With the support and help of her parents, she found the ‘TransKids Purple Rainbow Foundation’ to help transgender youth. She also wrote a children’s book and a memoir about her experiences. She has been honored by GLAAD, Out Magazine, Advocate, Logo TV and the Human Rights Campaign.

10. BANA al-ABED

Bana al-Abed is a Syrian girl from Aleppo in Syria. She with the assistance of her mother sends messages and information through Twitter documenting the war-torn Syria. At just the age of seven, she took a massive step to call people’s attention to the atrocities happening there via Twitter. However, with her zeal and powerful action she was able to call upon the world leaders to take action.

11. ANOYARA KHATUN

Anoyara Khatun, a victim of child trafficking, was rescued by the organization, Save The Children. She returned to West Bengal and committed her life to putting an end to the exploitation and trafficking of children. Anoyara has rescued hundreds of children through her efforts. She has also prevented children from being the victims of forced child marriages. Thus, she really set an example and becomes a source of inspiration for all of us.

12. GITANJALI RAO

Gitanjali Rao is an Indian-American inventor, author and scientist. She was awarded $25,000 for inventing a device that can detect lead in drinking water. She believes that her invention is more accurate than current test options and is affordable. This invention rewarded her the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist“. In 2020, she was featured in TIME magazine as “Kid Of The Year“. Moreover, she also developed an app named ‘KINDLY’ that uses artificial intelligence to detect cyber bullying at an early stage.