Top 10 Youngest and Most Influential Activists

Payal Jangid was only 11 when she learned that her parents had arranged for her to be married. Jangid’s sister was locked into an arranged marriage as well. With support from the Bal Ashram Trust, a center associated with the Save the Childhood Movement, Jangid protested the marriage and her parents ultimately accepted her wishes. Jangid has continued to fight against child marriage while also advocating for education and campaigning to end child labor. She went on to become the president of Bal Panchayat, the children’s parliament in her home village of Hinsla, in Rajasthan, India. Thanks to Jangid’s outspoken efforts, child marriage is now outlawed there. At age 17, Jangid became the first Indian to receive the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Changemaker Award.

In an age where social media has given everyone a far-reaching voice, change can sometimes be a hashtag away. Few people are as passionate about reading as Marley Dias, but she couldn’t help but notice that most of the novels in her school curriculum revolved around white boys and their dogs. With the support of her mother, the sixth grader launched the #1000BlackGirlBooks campaign in November 2015. Although Dias’ goal was to collect 1000 books featuring black girls, over 9000 books were donated within just a few months. Dias isn’t just an avid reader, but also an author, publishing her book “Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You!” in 2018. That same year, she became the youngest person on Forbes’ 30 Under 30.

Assigned male at birth, Jazz Jennings was diagnosed with gender dysphoria when she was three. Although her parents initially had her wear gender-neutral outfits in public, it quickly became clear she was unhappy. Jennings’ fifth birthday party marked a new beginning for the family, where she came out to her friends as a girl. In 2007, at the age of six, she interviewed by Barbara Walters. That same year, the Jennings family founded the TransKids Purple Rainbow Foundation. Jennings followed this up in 2013 by launching the company Purple Rainbow Tails, which raises funds for transgender youth. She continues to inspire and break down barriers on her YouTube channel and TLC series, “I Am Jazz.”

Palestinian activist Ahed Tamini was born in the village of Nabi Salih, a hub for the anti-occupation movement. When she was 16, she received international attention after an Israeli soldier reportedly shot her cousin in the head with a rubber-coated metal bullet, leaving him badly injured. In response, Tamimi approached two armed soldiers outside her family home, kicking and slapping them with her mother and another cousin. Footage of the altercation was shared on social media, and Tamimi, her mother, and Nour faced assault charges. Tamimi agreed to an eight-month plea bargain, completing her high school education in prison. Her actions sparked an international debate. Following her release in July 2018, she resolved to fight for human rights by pursuing a law degree.

Shortly after creating her Twitter account at 7, Banna al-Abed had accumulated over 300,000 followers. Al-Abed and her mother, who manages her account, used Twitter as a platform to share their experiences when Aleppo, Syria was under siege. Al-Abed’s account gained attention worldwide; J. K. Rowling sent her a “Harry Potter” ebook when al-Abed couldn’t find a copy. Due to the war, al-Abed not only lost her school and home, but her best friend as well. In December 2016, her family relocated to Turkey. Banna and Fatemah have since made the leap from tweeting to writing a book, titled “Dear World.” They’ve continued to protest the war through televised interviews and in 2018, Banna was given the Asian Awards’ Rising Star Award.

At age 15, Jamie Margolin co-founded the Zero Hour, an organization dedicated to youth activism on climate change. She was prompted to do so by the disastrous effects of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico, and the smoke drifting into Seattle from the Canadian wildfires. Her organization gained traction through the #thisisZeroHour campaign, but Margolin’s efforts have stretched far beyond social media. In 2019, she spoke to the U.S. House of Representatives as part of the panel, “Voices Leading the Next Generation on the Global Climate Crisis.” Margolin has been recognized with the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes and an MTV EMA Generation Change Award. She’s also a part of a group suing the State of Washington for greenhouse gas emissions.

While most eight-year-olds only write letters to Santa, Amariyanna "Mari" Copeny took it upon herself to send a letter to President Barack Obama. The message in question regarded the Flint water crisis, which has been a threat to her hometown’s health since 2014. Obama responded, writing, “letters from kids like you are what make me so optimistic about the future.” What’s more, the letter prompted him to visit Flint, after which he signed off on $100 million to help repair the city’s water system. Copeny, or Little Miss Flint as she’s become known, has since partnered with the non-profit organization, Pack Your Back, to raise money for school supplies and bottled water. She’s also become an advocate for education and representation.

#3: The Parkland Students

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10 Times Horrible Students Faced Justice

In February 2018, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland found itself at the center of a tragedy when a gunman killed 17 people. In response to the country’s deadliest high school shooting ever, Parkland students formed the committee Never Again MSD, calling for legislative action on gun violence. In March, their efforts led to March for Our Lives, a nationwide demonstration to support gun reform. At the march, survivor Emma González delivered a passionate speech that lasted six minutes, the length of the shooting. Together with survivor David Hogg, her stance on gun reform have made them targets of far-right attacks, with some accusing them of being “crisis actors.” However, with other Parkland students, they continue to fight for reform.

Can one person make a difference? Thunberg’s solo protest outside Swedish parliament at the age of 15 has become a global movement. Her inspiration was actually the Parkland students in our number 3 entry! Thunberg’s “school strike for the climate” quickly influenced other students around the world to get involved, sparking what some have called “the Greta effect”. She’s given numerous speeches on the subject, even speaking to U.S. congress. In 2019, Thunberg was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize and became Time’s youngest Person of the Year at age 16. Not everyone agrees with Thunberg’s views, most notably President Donald Trump. Regardless, it’ll take more than a tweet about her quote unquote “anger management” to stop Thunberg in her tracks. Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: Xiuhtezcati Martinez Amika George Katie Eder Sophie Cruz

This Pakistani activist has become a beacon for the rights of women and human rights in general. At 11, Malala Yousafzai began anonymously writing a blog about life under the Taliban for BBC Urdu. Her identity was soon revealed, though, establishing her as an activist for female education and equality. Despite death threats from the Taliban, she continued to speak out. In October 2012, a Taliban gunman shot her as she rode a bus home from an exam. She miraculously survived, and has since become a household name globally. There was something of an outcry when Yousafzai didn’t win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013, although she’d become a co-recipient in 2014. She remains an inspirational icon, helping to open eyes and minds around the world.