Say what you will about the current occupant of the White House, but he has been inspirational. While some have been inspired to attempt to follow in his footsteps–Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is just the latest politically unqualified person to float the idea of a presidential run–others have been inspired to action in more useful ways. Naomi Wadler and Kenidra Woods are fighting against gun violence, and specifically giving Black victims of gun violence a voice. Mari Copeny, also known as Little Miss Flint, is STILL working to remind people of the ongoing water crisis in Flint.
Meanwhile, in Lima, Peru, the girls of Colectivo Sulans meet to talk about issues that affect them–particularly rape and femicide. And in Buenos Aires, Brazil, hundreds of high school girls protested for abortion rights, carrying banners with slogans like “My mom says that if you think I’m too young to be in a march, then picture me being pregnant!”
Other girls are more subtle in their activism. Whether it’s Girl Scouts ensuring that there are sanitary supplies available in their school bathrooms (and why isn’t the school doing that?) or Girl Guides braving the UK’s Storm Freya to raise money for WaterAid, girls everywhere are starting to rise up to ensure they have their basic needs and rights met–as well as those of others around the world. As Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton says,
When you’re living on your knees, you rise up
Tell your brother that he’s gotta rise up
Tell your sister that she’s gotta rise up
-Katie Weidmann
Editor
Girl News International