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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 catalysing never-before-seen support and energy for gun reform. Students led classroom walkouts, organised marches in their communities, and became leading voices on issues they were previously sidelined on.

current: recent to catalyse: to make something start happening to reform: to improve a behaviour or structure to marginalise: to treat someone or something as if they are/it is not important a development: a creation, an organisation unprecedented: something that never happened before

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

Students from marginalised communities have been organising 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 re-emerged with a similar energy and power to create meaningful change for generations. Whether it’s school walkouts, the development of on- and off-campus organisations, 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.

Youth Activists Making A Difference

1 Gr eta 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 organise 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.

2 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.