We are faced with many problems today, but I see people spending more time arguing than finding solutions to these problems. Our increasingly polarized society, long-standing injustices, the uncertainty of climate change, all against the backdrop of COVID-19, can make us feel powerless in creating solutions.
A lot of these issues today have been going on for a while and in a lot of ways, the generation above us has let us down. They've left us with a lot of problems on our backs, certainly contributing to the rise in anxiety and depression in our generation. With suicide rates going up and students dropping out of high school, there clearly is a problem. So what can we do about it?
I’ve learned through LiveGirl that I must be the change I want to see. Many youth activists are quickly becoming the movers and shakers of the world's diverse movements. 32% of the global population makes up generation z, surpassing millennials and making us play the largest role in society today. Yet still today many young people don't realize how powerful their voices are. LiveGirl has taught me that you don't have to be of voting age to make change. So I’m here to tell you - that together- we hold the power to make the world a better place.
Movements start with the decision to speak up. A movement holds a belief in possibility and belief that voices will be heard. For many - once they learned about or experienced social, political, environmental injustice, they hear their calling and take action. So I encourage you all to educate yourself. Once you arm yourself with knowledge, educate those around you. Learn from reputable organizations in those fields and other trusted sources. We are fortunate that as young people, we have the most access to education through technology. Our minds are still malleable, so form your own thoughts. Share your ideas and start conversations, because if not, we’re bound to keep with the traditions of the past.
Take action. Advocate for change, write letters and testimonies, participate and lead in protests, fundraise, share on social media, volunteer, and take your talents and use them to your advantage to make an impact. Ask yourself, what can I do? And do it. Sparking change isn't reserved for those with exceptional qualities and superpowers, we all have what it takes to create change. You can make an impact right where you are right now. So challenge the narrative, speak up, speak out, be loud, be clear, and fight - for what is important to you. No matter how young you are, your voice is valid, do not stay silent in the face of injustice. Now more than ever, the world needs you, and your voice. We need everyone because the weight of the world is not as heavy if we all lift it together.
Many times in our lives we have been taught that our voices aren’t important, but LiveGirl tells us otherwise. I wouldn't be where I am today without the profound community of LiveGirl and its mentors. I often hear people say that we are the future, that we will change the world, but that isn’t true. We are not just the future, we are the present, and we are changing the world right now. As Frederick Douglass once reminded us, “Power concedes nothing without demand.” so let’s rise up together and start making demands. Join the LiveGirl Leadership Council to lead change and be changed.
-Lorrie Solonynka
