Youth Voices Unleashed
Teenagers are the changemakers in society. When we often look for inspiration among a sea of voices, we don’t realize that new change can come right from the generation of young adults.
Teenagers fit the perfect role of community advocates.
As young adults, they have been living and breathing through experiences that currently affect them and the world around them. As a teenager myself, I believe that my small voice can bring a thunderous change to the issues I care about if I gain support from my local community.
For example, in my community I am passionate about mental health advocacy. When I saw the opportunity to present my experiences and potential solutions with mental health issues, I sprung upon it and did a TEDx talk at my school about the role of creative expression to alleviate stress. Joining this organization, My Good Brain, has also been very rewarding as I am able to share my voice through our podcast, teen blog corner, and at in-person events!
My efforts are just a sliver of what millions of other teens have done in the past to change their community. Many historical movements were led by youth advocates who wanted to fight for their rights and the betterment of their community. The Little Rock Nine consisted of a group of teenagers who were the first African Americans to enter Little Rock Central High School. Their courage represented an exemplary moment of the Civil Rights Movement. Other movements like the Environmental one in the 1970s had significant youth involvement. Another significant example of a more recent teen advocate is Greta Thunberg, an environmental activist known for challenging world leaders for immediate action regarding ways to mitigate climate change. These examples provide hope to us today by showing us that a changemaker is someone who is not defined by their age but by their actions.
Any sort of change can be viewed as simple, but beneath that layer of perspective, the courage that goes into that change may be overlooked. At times, it may be difficult for teens to voice their opinion especially if many others are not aligned with their beliefs. The first step they can take to be community advocates is to build up courage to act upon their concerns.
The next step is for teenagers to be more involved in their school and community.
They can…
Start new clubs focused on issues they want to tackle
Start fundraising initiatives to raise money for a certain cause
Volunteer at local community projects to spread more awareness
Attend town hall meetings to propose new solutions of local issues
Organize/Attend peaceful protests bolstered with the support of their peers
After these initiatives are set on a path to unfold, utilizing social media to bolster one’s efforts can be extremely effective and engaging. As about 90% of teens in the globe use social media, platforms like facebook, instagram, twitter and can spread awareness about small initiatives like wildfire.
There are some concerns that can unravel though. Teens may face opposition or be deemed unserious due to their age. It is important to practice persistence and perseverance when faced with these problems. Having an open-mindset can help them understand multiple viewpoints.
Although I am trying not to be biased, I like to believe that teens offer a fresh perspective and urgency to problems that they are passionate about alleviating. Taking it one step at a time, teens can create a positive outlook in their world as community advocates.
