Photo Credit: http://www.kidsrighttoknow.com/a-note-from-rachel/

Girl Entrepreneur #002

Name: Rachel Parent
Location: Toronto, Canada
Business Name: Kids Right to Know

Rachel Parent is a 19-year-old entrepreneur from Toronto, Canada who aged just 11 established her not-for-profit organisation Kids Right to Know. When completing a school project, she was horrified to learn what a common occurrence GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) were in supermarket food and that the government were not carrying out tests into the disastrous long-term environmental and health impacts of such foods. She set up Kids Right to Know to increase global awareness of GMOs and their risks, particularly in young people.

Additionally, Rachel was appalled to discover that GMO labelling is mandatory in 64 countries but not in Canada or the USA. Kids Right to Know not only aims to raise public awareness but also campaigns for mandatory GMO labelling and proper testing in Canada and the US.

In her quest to raise awareness Rachel has faced opposition from the biotechnology industry who claim that GMOs are vital in the fight against world hunger. The Kids Right to Know website provides up to date evidence and research that proves the ineffectiveness of GMOs in ending world poverty, showing that these companies use this mantra as an excuse for mass-producing new Genetically Modified Organisms without proper testing or labelling. 

Rachel has shown she will not be silenced by the big biotechnology corporations or other discerning voices. At the age of 14 she took on CBC’s Kevin O’Leary, challenging him to a debate after he suggested that those who opposed GMOs should “stop eating” so we can “get rid of them”. This gave her a great platform to challenge misconceptions that exist about the benefits of GMOs. Furthermore, through her strong debate skills, she pointed out that the little the public do know about GMOs is influenced by the bias of the very companies who benefit from them. The debate was posted on YouTube, gaining over two million views in under two months! She successfully raised awareness about GMOs and Kids Right to Know through the media coverage she received.

Despite great opposition from industries who benefit from public ignorance of GMOs, Rachel remains determined to raise awareness and get GMOs labelled across Canada and the US so that people can exercise their freedom of choice when it comes to what they eat.

-Phoebe Cawley
Junior Girl
Girl Museum Inc.

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