The Power of Youth
By Ariadna Carolina Condezo Trinidad
This essay received an Honourable Mention in the Global Changemakers Essay Competition 2020.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead
When I first hear the word “changemaker” big names come to my mind immediately such as Emma Watson with the HeForShe campaign or Malala Yousafzai with the Malala Fund organization. Since I was a child, I always dreamed about making a meaningful change, leaving my mark and helping others. As a grown-up, I still want that but it was not until January of this year that part of me truly believed in how much power I have inside me and how I can inspire people around me to be part of the change.
In January, I was part of a bootcamp in Brazil led by Latin American Leadership Academy (LALA), a non-profit organization that empowers young leaders around the continent and encourages them to pursue their goals. If I was asked to describe my time at LALA in one word, I would use inspiring. Twenty-one teenagers living together for a week. Twenty-one young leaders sharing their stories, experiences, knowledge, passions and most of all commitment for their communities. One of the many things LALA taught me was that each of us have something unique to give to the world, that we are changemakers, and we are never too young to start something new.
It is known that many elderly people describe the youth of today as lazy, self-indulgent and careless which I completely disagree with. Nowadays, there are young people leading the change, young people who are really concerned about global issues such as gender equality, climate change, education, mental health, sustainable development and more. They are fighting for what they believe and they are building the society they want to live in. Furthermore, they are inspiring their peers to start their own movements. How do I know that? Because speaking from personal experience they have already inspired me, not only to believe in myself but they have also helped me to understand what I have to offer and how I can do it.
As young people, we all have power. I know it may sound confusing at first and you will probably start thinking that I am talking about some secret ingredient or formula. Our power is that we are young, it is as simple as that. By being young, I mean that we are believers and we are dreamers. Perhaps, you may say that dreams are only dreams. Nevertheless, I tell you that the first changemakers were also dreamers. The first people that transformed our society dreamed about that. Never stop dreaming and believing that you can change something. Dream higher, there is not a policeman of dreams who can tell you that you are not allowed to reach what you wish for.
Taking into consideration all that was previously mentioned: being young, a believer and a dreamer. What is the next step? To start making the change, everyone can make a social impact. I recognize that it can be scary, but remember that trying something new is totally worth it. Think about what you like the most, your passions, the topic you can spend hours and hours talking about without getting bored of it. To be a changemaker you do not have to found an international non-profit organization or build houses on the other side of the world. Do you like football? You can teach the children in your community how to play it and form your own team. Are you passionate about saving the environment? You can create a blog where you write about strategies for taking care of our world and encourage your community to plant trees. Little things also make you a changemaker.
As a young leader in my community, it is essential for me to promote a current of good in order to inspire my peers but going more deeply, to support and encourage them. Sometimes we want to make a change; nonetheless, fear stands in our way. How many times has fear stopped you from doing something? In my case, several times and due to that it is fundamental for me to be able to help every person around me to empower themselves and raise their voices. I want to help them understand the magnificent power they have inside and how they can use it to help them spread this current of good.
Now, is your time to tell your story and start leading the change. As John E. Lewis said: “If not us, then who? If not now, then when?”
Global Changemakers has an unshakeable mission of supporting youth to create positive change in their communities. A global pioneer in supporting youth-led development, they have trained youth from over 180 countries and provided grants to over 360 youth-led projects, which have had a combined impact on over 6,2 million people. www.global-changemakers.net
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this article belong to the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or Global Changemakers.
