During the Twitter chat we co-hosted with the International Youth Foundation's YouthActionNet initiative on August 15, 2018, we asked young leaders from around the world what has helped them understand and tackle social challenges, make their voices heard, and drive real impact on the issues they care deeply about.
The discussion built on the LeaderStories.org interview series featuring YouthActionNet Fellows advocating for disability rights and inclusion in Zambia, youth civic engagement in Kenya, and access to education for girls globally.
The chat featured the voices and experience of young leaders who have fought for (and achieved!) measurable change in areas such as gun violence, racial intolerance, pedestrian safety, disability rights, access to education, and more.
They are:
Anika Manzoor
Founder of Youth Activism Project @YouActProject
Chris Mukasa @ChrisMukasa
Founder of Fatuma’s Voice @FatumasVoice
Co-founder of Sophie Kanza Foundation @CandyCraftsDay
Ehsan Gul @ehsangul23
Founder of the Youth Engagement Lab @gboxoriginal
Nigel Savel @NivgelSavel
Co-founder of the 9Miles Project @9MilesProject
Christen Brandt @cjbrandt
Co-founder of She's the First @shesthefirst
Here’s our recap of some of the highlights, including what the panelists had to say, and the insights and advice that other leaders and users who participated had to offer:
Participants spoke to what first inspired them to embark on their journey of putting passion for an issue into action toward a solution.
Many recommended great tools and resources for peers interested in taking the first steps to leading change.
Leaders shared 3 concrete actions someone could take in the next week or month to get started as an advocate for a cause they believe in when figuring out how to start feels difficult.
We discussed what the role of safe spaces is, and how important they are for young people looking to get involved in change.
And last but not least… Everyone offered a parting piece of advice or inspiration they want to offer young people who see mounting social challenges, and question whether they can really make a difference.
Overall, some incredible advice and insights were provided. You can see all of the responses to the questions by searching #Passion2Action on Twitter. This chat was inspired by and rooted in our candid interview series with @YouthActionNet fellows advocating for disability rights and inclusion, youth civic engagement, and girls’ education. You can find the first post in that series here, the second here, and the third here.
