Influential Teen Girls
- PowHERup Staff
- Aug 14, 2020
- 2 min read
These teen girls have impacted the world one way or another. They have made a difference, and so can you! Take a look at their story to see how you can write yours.
Greta Thunberg - Climate Change Activist (17)
Greta Thunberg has become a leader for climate change. In 2018, she organized a school strike movement to protest the Swedish parliament. Then, millions of young people around the world started to protest against climate change. Not just in Sweden, but internationally (#fridaysforfuture)! Last year, she spoke at the UN Climate Change Summit, where her speech sparked a nerve for everyone in the world. She won Time Magazine’s 2019 Person of the Year, wrote two books, was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, spoke with the Pope, and even fist bumped Obama! She embraces herself and embraces change. She openly speaks about having Asperger Syndrome, and how it is her superpower.
Malala Yousafzai - Education Activist (23)
Malala Yousafzai was born in Pakistan under Taliban rule. At the age of 11, she wrote a diary about her life talking about how the Taliban took control of her hometown valley, banning TVs and music, while enforcing harsh punishments - girls couldn’t go to school. In 2012, a gunman had boarded her school bus. It was getting attacked because of Malala. She had spoken publicly about girls and education, so she was a target. The gunman shot Malala in the left side of her head. 10 days later, she was in a rehab center in Birmingham, England. Her life had changed forever! She recovered after numerous surgeries and rehabilitation. Still, she remains an activist for women’s rights and started her own charity, Malala Fund. They are working for a world where every girl can learn and lead.
Emma Gonzalez - Gun Control Activist (20)
On February 14, 2018, there was a high school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas in Parkland, Florida. The attack was only minutes long, but its trauma will last years. In just a few seconds, 17 were dead and 17 were injured. Emma Gonzalez at 18, emerged as one of the leaders of the new movement and co-founded the gun-control group Never Again MSD. She wasn’t defeated by this event. Instead, she took action to begin a national campaign. Never Again MSD has led numerous protests across the nation. Students nationwide walked out of class to participate. They were silent for 17 minutes to remember those 17 students that died in the shooting. In March of 2018, she delivered a speech at the March for Our Lives in DC. After her campaign and speech, Florida lawmakers passed the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High school Public Safety Act, which raises the age to buy a firearm from 18 to 21 and requires a three-day waiting period for most weapons.
These teens all made a difference in the world in their own way. They are strong and independent, but they are also human, just like you and me. How will you make a difference in the world? Tell us your dreams and goals in the comments below!
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