Top 10 People Who Recently Changed History for the Better

In a world full of big talkers, Bryan Stevenson is a man of action. A civil rights lawyer, hes spent decades fighting for those wrongfully convicted, unfairly sentenced, and systemically overlooked. He founded the Equal Justice Initiative to take on that fight. Stevenson has argued before the Supreme Court, challenged racial bias in sentencing, and helped save over 130 people from the death penalty. His work isnt just legal: its deeply human. Hes dedicated to educating Americans on the legacy of racial injustice through bestselling books, documentaries, and a landmark museum and memorial in Montgomery, Alabama. Stevenson has devoted his life to reshaping how we understand justice and mercy. His mission is simple but revolutionary: Each of us is more than the worst thing weve ever done.

Kailash Satyarthi didnt just speak out against child slavery; he stormed the doors. A former engineer, he turned to activism and began a crusade to end child labor, trafficking, and abuse in India. Satyarthi has himself helped successful raids liberate children from forced labor. His movement, Bachpan Bachao Andolan, has freed close to 100,000 kids. Thats less of a statistic and more of a revolution. Satyarthi doesnt just fight to end child labor; he fights to restore childhood to kids. His work has built schools, sparked global marches, and reshaped laws. In 2014, he shared the Nobel Peace Prize with none other than Malala herself. Where others looked away, Satyarthi kicked the door down, giving thousands of children a second chance.

Most doctors treat disease. Paul Farmer treated the systems that let it spread. As co-founder of Partners In Health, he delivered cutting-edge care to the worlds poorest communities. Countries and communities that had long been written off by the global health establishment received healthcare for the first time. From Haiti to Rwanda, he built clinics and trained local staff. Partners In Health proved that high-quality care is a moral obligation, not a luxury. Farmers work wasnt about charity, but equity. He challenged how medicine is taught, funded, and delivered. His sudden death in 2022 left a void, but his radical idea endures; geography should never determine who gets to live.

Skipping school was always the purview of slackers, until a 15-year-old in Sweden made it a call to action. Greta Thunbergs solitary climate strike outside the Swedish parliament lit a fire that swept across the world. Millions of students joined her, demanding action in the face of environmental collapse. Armed with facts, fury, and zero patience for empty promises, she stood before presidents, parliaments, and the U.N. and called them all out. Her speeches are clipped, unsparing, and impossible to ignore. Whether you see her as a hero or a thorn in the systems side, one things clear: Greta made climate change personal, urgent, and loud.

Long before hashtags and headlines, Tarana Burke was helping survivors heal. A civil rights activist and community organizer, Burke coined the phrase Me Too in 2006. Back then she was supporting Black girls and women who had experienced sexual violence through Just Be Inc. Over a decade later, the two-word phrase exploded into a global reckoning, empowering millions to speak out. But Burkes work goes deeper than viral moments. She built support systems, led workshops, and challenged institutions to face their failures. For her, it was less about celebrity and more about solidarity. Tarana Burke didnt just launch a movement. She reminded the world that healing is power, and that saying me too can be the first step toward justice.

In a world of bluster and bombast, Angela Merkel led with restraint, reason, and quiet strength. As Germanys first female chancellor, she steered Europes largest economy through one crisis after another. She faced financial collapse, a refugee emergency, Brexit, a U.S. president determined to cede global leadership, and a pandemic. Where others chased headlines, Merkel built trust. She opened Germanys doors to over a million refugees, she championed science during COVID, and she helped keep the European Union from fracturing. Though rarely flashy, her leadership reshaped modern Europe and redefined what power could look like: steady, principled, and deeply human. Merkel didnt just lead Germany: she became the de facto leader of the free world when others fell short.

When disaster strikes, Chef José Andrés and his team don't wait for permission: they just show up with a kitchen. The celebrated chef turned humanitarian has redefined what disaster relief looks like. His organization, World Central Kitchen, delivers hot meals everywhere from the sites of natural disasters to war zones. Earthquakes, wildfires, bombs - if people are hungry, hes there to feed them. Hes fed millions in Puerto Rico, Ukraine, Gaza, Maui, and beyond. His strike team is so nimble, they often beat governments and big NGOs to the front lines. Andrés proves that food isnt just nourishment; he is there to bring dignity, comfort, and solidarity to those who are suffering.

It's not often that an average Joe can say they've saved millions of lives. But that's exactly what James Harrison did, a living cure. After a lifesaving transfusion as a teenager, he vowed to pay it forward. For over 60 years, he donated blood nearly every week. But Harrisons wasnt just any blood: it was as close to magic blood as a human can have. His blood contained a rare antibody used to create a treatment for rhesus incompatibility, a condition that can be fatal to newborns. His donations helped develop Anti-D, a shot credited with saving over 2 million babies. Nicknamed the Man with the Golden Arm, Harrison quietly became one of the most impactful donors in medical history.

They werent household names, but their work changed the world. For years, Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman toiled in obscurity, refining a technology most researchers had written off: mRNA. They had discovered that you could modify mRNA to safely teach the body to fight disease. It was all an interesting academic exercise until the world faced a once-in-a-century global pandemic. As it turned out Karikó and Weissman's research was the key to fighting COVID-19. Their mRNA research helped churn out vaccines at record speed. Their research saved millions, drastically cut down lockdown times, and saved the global economy. Today, their breakthrough is now reshaping treatments for cancer, HIV, and beyond.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

She Escaped ISIS, Turning Her Trauma Into Global Advocacy for Women & Girls

At the Age of 18, He Invented a System to Clean the Oceans & Founded The Ocean Cleanup

He Treats Survivors of Sexual Violence and Advocates Worldwide for Justice & Healing

She Exposed the Flint Water Crisis & Fights to Protect Children from Lead Poisoning

She spoke up for girls education in Pakistan. When the Taliban tried to silence her with a bullet, they only amplified her voice. Malala Yousafzai not only survived the attack; she became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate in history. In many parts of the world, girls are denied education due to poverty, patriarchy, and extremist violence. Entire communities are robbed of their potential. Educated girls are more likely to lift families out of poverty, lead healthier lives, and transform their societies. From a school bus in Pakistan to the halls of the UN, Malala turned her personal fight into a global movement. Through the Malala Fund, shes helped open classrooms, change laws, and inspire millions. Her message is simple: every girl deserves an education.

Anyone can change the world, so who do you think deserves a spot on this list? Let us know in the comments below!