Uniting the World, One Voice at a Time

Uniting the World, One Voice at a Time

RAYE MOCIOIU

At 18 years old, community leader and social entrepreneur Cameron Davis is on a mission for unity and positive change.

“For as long as I remember, I’ve travelled,” said Davis, founder of clothing line 721 Merchandise. “My parents took me with them from the time I was a baby. By the time I was eight years old, I’d already visited more than 30 countries.”

The activist and designer shared that he’d always wanted to make a positive difference in the world, a mindset inspired and shaped by his travels.

“From a young age, my travels taught me that there are two sides to every story and that it’s crucial that we include both sides when working toward peace and unity. It is a lesson that has served me well not only while travelling but when working within our education systems, with different levels of government, and within society.”

It’s also a lesson that inspired his clothing line, 721 Merchandise, a business with a critical mission: to unite the planet around the causes that make the world a better place for everyone.

“721 represents the seven continents coming together to advocate for the issues of our one earth,” explained Davis. “The seven continents ARE one, and through this clothing brand, we highlight ‘unity through travel’ as the bridge. It’s also an angel number, a number that is deemed to bring good faith or peace. 721 is the representation of love, peace and harmony, which is exactly what I’m striving for.” For Davis, striving for peace also means speaking out about causes close to his heart. In Grade 10, while attending a Black Lives Matter protest, Davis shared his experiences as a Black teenager. Feeling empowered by the opportunity to use his voice, Davis posted a video on his YouTube channel sharing his thoughts and experiences, inspiring others to do the same.

“My educators need education,” Davis said in his speech. “They need to learn about our Black lives, our Black experiences, they need to listen to our voices when we speak up, but also recognize our pain when we’re silent.”

Davis has since been a vocal advocate for other youth to speak out and share their experiences as well, through speaking as a guest or panellist on news platforms and through his work as a youth council member, working to make beneficial changes to the York Region school curriculum.

“It’s an education issue, I think. For too long, it’s been normalized for youth to stay silent or to only complain individually about injustices,” Davis continued. “It’s crucial that youth speak out together because only then will they realize the power of numbers and the power their voice holds. It’s up to all of us to help youth speak out and to encourage—not force—them to share their experiences.”

It’s through speaking up and advocating for issues we care about that we can truly achieve unity. Through 721 Merchandise, available at 721merch.ca, and by continuing to use his voice to inspire others to share their experiences, Davis is building a legacy of empowerment—and he’s only just getting started. “I may only be 18 years old, but I have already begun to inspire global change. I will continue to do so for the rest of my life,” said Davis. “As I say all the time, ‘we are more similar than different,’ and the injustices one person faces in the education system often are not unique. Together, we’re able to create real change that benefits everyone.”