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To say 2020 has been a year like no other is an understatement. We have faced a dangerous and deadly pandemic that changed our lives in profound ways, an extended and divided election season, the worst wildfires California has ever seen, and let’s not forget the murder hornets.
This year we have also seen the continued surge of youth activism, spurred by the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and George Floyd, with the video of a police officer kneeling on his neck seared into our minds. Our collective rage erupted amid the pandemic: Organizers, activists, and everyday people said enough is enough — we demand change! Young people have been at the forefront of this moment, marching in the streets, rallying our communities, and talking to our parents about racism.
But amid all this tragedy, there has also been resilience. While we continue to work to keep one another safe and speak out against injustice, we have found joy and community too; we continue to be pioneers and support one another in a time of need. And we still look cute, even if just for that Zoom call! As we close out this year, we are excited to present you with Teen Vogue's 21 Under 21, 2020 list, an incredible group of girls and femmes who have worked against the odds to innovate, create, connect, and inspire.
Just a few weeks ago Keiajah Brooks, 20, filled our feeds when she addressed the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners with a scathing critique of their lack of oversight of police misconduct. Teens4Equality organized one of the biggest marches of the year in Nashville; Andraya Yearwood, 19, broke barriers for trans athletes; Anika Chebrolu, 14, invented a potential therapy for COVID-19; Hannah Lucas, 18, created a life-changing app to help people grapple with their mental health; and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, 18, whose depiction of teen angst in Never Have I Ever has hit home for all of us.
Those are just a few of the incredible young people on the list that follows. We hope their stories will inspire you, like they did for us, and give some much needed light in a year that is studded with darkness.
Andraya Yearwood, 19, the All-Star Advocate
By Brittney McNamara
Andraya Yearwood is good at track and field — like really good. But because she’s transgender, being really good was never enough. The U.S. Education Department recently said transgender athletes have an unfair advantage over their cisgender peers. The statement stemmed from a lawsuit against Andraya and athlete Terry Miller, attempting to prevent transgender girls like them from competing in girls’ sports in Connecticut.
But Andraya has never given up.
“I knew that what I was doing was bigger than just me,” she says. “I know that speaking up against the injustices that transgender athletes face within sports is something that needs to be continued. It cannot be something that gets swept under the rug ... solely because it makes some uncomfortable.”
Despite the challenges that sometimes make her want to quit, Andraya has stayed true to herself. “If you know in your heart something to be true, then do not hesitate to show that truth," she says. "There will be people that will make it an effort to dim your light and silence your voice, but you mustn’t allow them to get the best of you.”
Now that she’s in college, Andraya says she’s shifting her focus to fighting for trans people in general, not just athletes. She’s trying to bring awareness to issues like medical bias against trans people and the epidemic of violence against Black trans women.
“Even though the community has come a long way from the past,” she says, “there will always be more work to be done.”
Andrea Alejandra Gonzales, 19, the All-Around Advocate
By Daphne Frias
An infectious smile and a personality that make you want to be her best friend: That’s what I noticed first about Andrea Alejandra Gonzales. She’s a 19-year-old youth organizer who fearlessly advocates for her various communities. As a Mestiza queer advocate, she is undoubtedly a powerful voice for liberation.
Andrea says she is “not an activist by choice … [but] for survival.” She advocates for Gun Violence Prevention as the director of operations for Youth Over Guns; she fights for gender and racial justice, including the time her photos were displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the U.S. Capitol after being censored by her school for raising awareness about rape culture; she works toward restorative justice, and has gained a deeper understanding of the detrimental effects of incarceration and policing, advocating for those affected by these systems; and her commitment to healing has led her to organize events like "March to End the War on Children" and "March in Solidarity With Survivors." In other words, she’s committed to making a difference for everyone.
“One thing we must all do in order to make a difference, whether it is globally or on a local level, we must abandon ego and individualism," she tells Teen Vogue. "The only way we will win is when we radically love each other, and in that love realize that we are indebted to each other and must think of ourselves as part of a larger collective.”
Andrea never waivers in her candid ability to share her thoughts. Her honesty begs introspection. She inspires convictions and pushes you to grow in the best way possible.
Anika Chebrolu, 14, the Scientist
By Samhita Mukhopadhyay
Anika Chebrolu is a 14-year old Texan and a scientist. Earlier this year, she won the 3M Young Scientist Challenge for creating a possible cure for COVID-19. In a year that was defined by loss with no end in sight, this teen took matters into her own hands. According to CNN, Anika’s invention “uses in-silico methodology to discover a lead molecule that can selectively bind to the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.” This holds potential for COVID-19 treatments down the line.
Anika had already been working on a cure for the flu when the pandemic hit. “Science has always been a big part of my life,” she tells Teen Vogue. Her family supported her interests, especially her grandfather, who was a chemistry professor. Her biggest challenge was believing in herself, until she realized it wasn't worth it to compare herself with others. “I began to understand that in order to be successful, I needed to set my own standards, my own goals, and take my own path.”
Anika's advice for other young girls and femmes who want to enter the STEM field? Believe you can do it. “While STEM may be male-dominated, I feel that a lot of us, as girls, limit ourselves by not challenging the status quo, by creating our own imaginary boundaries," she says. "To all other young girls who want to make a difference, I hope you all understand how important you are to this world! Do not let society’s standards hold you back from reaching your full potential.”
Anna Landre, 21, The Disability Advocate
For Georgetown University student Anna Landre, being disabled is something to be proud of. “I have never needed to overcome my disability in order to achieve my goals,” the 21-year-old says. “Instead, I’m constantly overcoming the physical, legal, and social barriers that this world creates for disabled people.”
This was something Anna became intimately familiar with when she nearly lost access to the disability services she needs in order to live independently. Last year, Anna says the company that administers Medicaid on behalf of her home state of New Jersey threatened to reduce the number of hours she could have her aides with her. Determined to assert her humanity and retain her life-saving services, Anna rallied disabled New Jerseyans having the same problem, contacted reporters, and worked with local representatives. The state eventually resolved Anna’s individual situation, and now she’s helped write legislation on this issue.
Anna’s conflict with the state deepened her commitment to disability rights activism.
“Many of these spaces — whether it’s college, the workplace, or something else — are not built for us,” Anna says. “That means many of us have to forge our own paths, and push past a lot of ‘nos’ along the way. It’s frustrating, but this is the work that needs to get done in order to pave the way for people who come after us. There’s still much more work to be done.”
Eva Lewis, 21, the Shape-Shifter
By Lindsay Peoples Wagner
Eva Lewis grew up in Chicago’s South Side, a neglected community that sits in stark contrast to the city's North Side, full of privileged neighborhoods. Living in a place that didn’t have a grocery store, fitness center, or schools with resources prompted Eva to take action.
“Seeing the disparity between two different sides of the city began to revolutionize me; it became apparent that more was possible for my people,” she says. “However, those in power made deliberate decisions to isolate us, divest from our communities, and capitalize on our labor and trauma. I began to imagine a world where Black and Indigenous people are free, and my work took off from there.”
At 16, Eva started a project that later developed into the Free Root Operation, combating gun violence through compassion. Years later, she is working on expanding programming through partnerships.
As a writer, activist, poet, and artist, Eva knows all too well that just because the election is over, that doesn’t mean our work is done. She continues to focus on her community’s existence between elections and aims to help people acquire what they need to thrive.
“For those of us called to this work, sometimes it seems like we go through things that no one will see. My advice is to just hang in there,” Eva says. “What was meant to harm you will be converted into something transformative and beautiful. That’s the power you hold. You can shape-shift adversity into a beacon for liberation.”
Haile Thomas, 20, the Plant-Based Wonder
By Tahirah Hairston
At age eight, Haile Thomas got an unexpected introduction to the power of food. Her father was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and as a result her family switched up their diet and lifestyle habits. “This was the first time I saw a real-life example of the power of food and how it can heal or harm us,” Haile tells Teen Vogue. With a desire to spread the word to her peers, Haile, at age 12, founded Happy, a nonprofit organization dedicated to wellness and plant-based nutrition education. But the more she learned, the more she realized wellness isn’t just about what you eat.
In 2019, she released Living Lively, a cookbook centered on plant-based recipes and the importance for Gen Z leaders and activists to nourish their minds and bodies. “I quickly realized that you're bound to feel unbalanced when you don't put energy into yourself," she says, "no matter what you're doing.”
Haile also advises young girls and femmes who want to make change to be intentional. “When we are clear on our ‘why’ and our service work's purpose, we give ourselves the freedom to make a difference in authentic ways," she explains. "When we're intentional, we're less likely to feel the need to model our service work off of what others are doing and can be more focused on offering something to the world that comes from our unique perspective, heart, and spirit.”
Hannah Lucas, 18, the Mental Health Champion
By Asia Milia Ware
At 15, Hannah Lucas was diagnosed with a chronic illness: postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). The condition can significantly affect your life, and it did for Hannah. Fainting in school and passing out led to her being bullied, harassed, and threatened. In turn, Hannah’s mental health suffered. To help herself and others like her, Hannah got to work.
“I knew I needed a tool I can use not only for my chronic illness, but mental illness too,” she tells Teen Vogue. Thus, her app notOK was born.
The notOK app was designed to help users know that support is in their back pocket. The app tells trusted contacts when the user isn’t feeling well and alerts them with a current GPS location. Hannah could’ve used this when she was battling depression, so now she’s helping others so they don’t have to experience what she did. Beyond the tangible benefits of the app, Hannah says she also hopes it helps reduce “the stigma surrounding mental health in the African-American community by finding true strength in vulnerability.”
Hannah is currently designing an exciting new update to further help her users, and she and her brother are producing a new podcast as an extension of the app. “[We want] Gen Z to have a safe space to feel loved, accepted, heard, and understood from an unbiased point of view.”
Hannah Testa, 17, the Plastic Crusader
By Lucy Diavolo
Hannah Testa’s path to climate activism started with a love of animals.
“I was a huge animal lover since I was a little girl,” she tells Teen Vogue. “Once I started to learn how animals that have roamed the earth for millions of years could go extinct during my lifetime, I was devastated.”
She pursued zoology and discovered that animals are under threat today, and she found out why. “I learned how environmental issues were having an impact on animals, specifically plastic pollution and the climate crisis,” Hannah says. “I have been speaking up ever since, initiating campaigns, attending protests, and personally educating over 30,000 people across the world through my nonprofit Hannah4Change about issues such as sustainability, plastic pollution, climate change, veganism and organic living, and youth activism.”
She says it was hard for people to take her seriously when she was younger, but she’s overcome that by knowing her stuff and aligning herself with organizations that put science first. She wants Georgians to show up at the polls in the Senate runoffs, and then she’s planning to spend next year advocating for policy, like the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act she helped introduce in Congress. She also just released her first book, Taking on the Plastic Crisis.
“Now more than ever the world needs you and your voice,” Hannah says. “So don’t be afraid to challenge the narrative and take action.”
Jay’Aina “Jay Jay” Patton, 15, the Coder
By Allegra Kirkland
Having a parent in prison comes with a price. Not only the pain of physical and emotional separation, but a hard financial cost: up to $4.80 for just one 20-minute phone call or video visit. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when many jails and prisons have been limiting in-person visits, the toll of separation is even harder.
Jay’Aina “Jay Jay” Patton wants to make that burden a little easier to bear. After her father, Antoine, returned from a stint in prison, the pair collaborated on a website called the Photo Patch Foundation, which allowed children to share letters and photos with their incarcerated parents for free. Realizing young people would rather use their phones to share these messages, Jay Jay, who was 12 at the time, learned how to code and created a mobile app they could use.
Jay Jay tells Teen Vogue she’s currently working on “launching version two” of the app and creating coding courses for Black youth at Antoine’s company, Unlock Academy.
“As a girl, a Black girl especially, it’s hard to sometimes fit into this world and feel accepted,” Jay Jay says. “But I have found out that you don’t need anybody’s validation to say you are powerful and can make a difference. As long as you believe in yourself and block out whatever people feel they have to say about you, you will persevere. It will be hard sometimes, but just realize your worth and continue to be you.”
Karina Popovich, 19, the STEM Pioneer
By Bianca Nieves
Karina Popovich has come a long way since the days when she played with the screwdrivers, wrenches, and lightbulbs in her dad's tool belt. Now, the Cornell University freshman is pioneering STEM education.
The lack of female representation in the field did not discourage Karina; instead, the AAAS IF/THEN ambassador says, it fueled her. “I want to help reinforce to girls that they are an asset to the STEM world, exactly as they are, no matter how feminine or masculine they are,” she says. “I am so proud to be a part of this movement that is working to change the culture by educating girls that ‘IF they can see it, THEN they can be it.'”
That is the mentality that spurred Karina to start her own organization, called Makers, which creates and distributes PPE via 3D printing amid COVID-19. “On March 30, I began doing research to understand the nuances of printing medical-grade PPE," Karina recalls. "That same day I printed my first face shield and created a Slack group for individual 3D-printer owners, like myself, who want to help but don’t know where to start.” She adds, “We have donated 82,000 units of PPE to date.”
If you’re wondering how to make change like her, Karina credits self-reflection: “Self-reflection is really key to understanding yourself, your goals, and achieving your dreams,” she says. “Making a difference at a young age means you have to figure yourself out while figuring out your social-impact plan.”
Keara Wilson, 19, the Dancing Queen
By Danielle Kwateng
In all of Keara Wilson's dance videos, she's beaming. The Ohioan is in love with dance, yet considers herself a multihyphenate who also enjoys creating choreography, modeling, and acting. The internet may know her best as the creator behind the viral "Savage" dance, inspired by Megan Thee Stallion's hit song, but Keara is so much more than a popular trend.
"I am focusing on my acting journey," Keara tells Teen Vogue. "This is a big dream of mine and I love that I can finally start on it. Also, I am exploring modeling, which has been so fun."
The 19-year-old was cynical about TikTok — where she currently has 2.1 million followers — when she joined in 2018, but she quickly became hooked. When Megan's Suga album dropped in March, Keara created a dance to go along with the single "Savage," uploaded it to her account, and watched it take off. "Like, all-across-the-world type of viral," Keara says of her work's influence. "From there, a lot of other opportunities came my way."
Unfortunately, like many creators before her, Keara didn't initially get a ton of credit for the dance (she still contends that Megan didn't "shout her out," even after performing the dance on Saturday Night Live). But the disappointment of being discredited hasn't stopped Keara's momentum.
“I am used to standing up for myself and [to] the challenges life puts in my way,” Keara says. "But millions of people seeing my dance definitely brought it to a whole new level."
Keiajah Brooks, 20, the Justice Watcher
By Danielle Kwateng
It was the most iconic read of 2020. In her three-minute address to the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners on October 27, Keiajah Brooks picked apart each presiding member. Her vigor was warranted. According to Mapping Violence Project data, Kansas City has the 10th highest rate of police killings in the United States.
“Ryan Stokes, Terrance Bridges, Cameron Lamb, and Donnie Sanders are just a few of the victims of KCPD violence who have yet to receive any form of justice,” Keiajah, who goes by KJ, tells Teen Vogue. “The system of policing as we know it is terroristic, but our local police department is dangerously flawed and takes on an even more dangerous form of terror, in that [it] disregards the humanity of Black people even further.”
KJ has spent her summer organizing and focusing on ways to hold law enforcement accountable. She’s launching a cop-watch program through her organization, Tha Chingona Collective, called Chingona Cop Watch, which will track the activities of local police.
“In this day and age, our phones are our greatest weapons,” KJ says. “We have the ability to reach billions of people in a matter of seconds. We need to harness this ability and use it to be preventative in the deaths of Black people, rather than reactionary — protesting — when a Black person is killed.”
Lexi Underwood, 17, the Onscreen Activist
By P. Claire Dodson
In Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere, Lexi Underwood brought nuance and imagination to her character, Pearl Warren, a teenager figuring out how to connect with her mother — and discover her own voice amid racist microaggressions. Just as Pearl learned how to stand by her convictions, Lexi uses her own voice to call attention to injustice, police violence, and systemic racism.
“Watching George Floyd’s and Ahmaud Arbery’s deaths, hearing the details of Breonna Taylor’s and Sean Reed’s murders in tandem with being in the midst of a global pandemic was the catalyst for the largest civil rights movement in history,” Lexi says.
In June she joined protesters in the streets and gave a viral speech in which she argued for equality. A month later, she launched a video series called “We the Voices of Gen Z,” engaging writers, activists, actors, and others in discussions about anti-Blackness. She plans to continue those conversations on a number of fronts.
Lexi began acting because storytelling makes her feel the most alive. Next, she’ll star in the Disney+ original movie Sneakerella, which she says is “a great opportunity to help young audiences reimagine how we see our princesses and princes.” She’s also working on various projects with her production company, Ultimate Dreamer Productions, and embracing her voice and power off-screen.
“If one of my posts, Zoom meetings, speeches, or conversations have changed at least one person’s heart, enhanced the education of someone […] or even made someone feel validated and seen, then the seed has been successfully planted,” she says. “Through our collective work, I’m hopeful that we’ll see change.”
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, 18, the Actor
By Samhita Mukhopadhyay
When Never Have I Ever came out on Netflix in April, everything from Twitter to my group texts lit up. The coming-of-age drama, created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher, put a story at its center that we rarely see on television: that of a young South Asian American girl. When Kaling posted the open casting call, she was overwhelmed with responses, but one up-and-comer stood out: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan.
Maitreyi plays Devi, a 15-year-old navigating the shocking loss of her father while trying to be a normal teen. Her compelling portrayal of Devi thrust her into the spotlight and into our hearts. After being motivated in high school by a rendition of Footloose, this was her first big role.
Being the first can be a lot of pressure, but Maitreyi has been excited to see how her family from around the world is engaging with the show. “Even when they didn’t understand the language or even [the] context, to have their kids translate it for them and support me has been super amazing,” she tells Teen Vogue.
Her advice to anyone else who wants to make an impact like she has? “No matter where you want to create change, you’ve got to start with yourself," she says. "Do your research and dive deep. Really be confident in yourself, the idea that you can make change, and just be your own best friend. Support and be kind to yourself through whatever you are facing.”
We can’t wait to see Maitreyi’s return in season two.
Maya Penn, 20, the Quadruple Threat
By Tahirah Hairston
Maya Penn was advocating for sustainability in the fashion industry long before it was popular. The activist, designer, entrepreneur, and animator was eight years old when she launched her eco-friendly fashion brand Maya’s Ideas, with every item made from organic, vintage, and recycled materials. She was 12 when she gave her first TedTalk on the importance of eco-friendly business, and 14 when she launched her own nonprofit organization, Maya’s Ideas 4 the Planet — and these are only a few of her accomplishments.
She’s proof that Black women have long been important voices in a movement that continues to erase them.
“Youth environmental activism didn’t start with the climate strike. Especially in communities of color, we have been here since the beginning and we will be here until the end,” Penn tells Teen Vogue. “I think that my perspective as a Black Gen Z girl made my voice and sustainability work all the more important.”
Now, the Georgia native is putting her energy into advocating for land sovereignty and Indigenous land reclamation, while staying true to her passions of art and design (Penn will soon be releasing her first animated film). Her advice to young BIPOC women and femme entrepreneurs? “Zero in on your specialties," she says. "Don’t worry if the area of activism you’re most passionate about isn’t a buzzword or a trending topic...yet.” But also take time for joy: “Joy fuels action. You can’t pour from an empty cup.”
Megha “Bootleg Megz” Rethin, 20, the Truth-Telling TikToker
By Chantal Waldholz
If you’ve scrolled through TikTok, chances are you’ve come across Megha Rethin aka @bootlegmegz. Since joining the platform a little over a year ago, the 20-year-old has amassed more than 600,000 followers due to her charming, funny, and often relatable content, which has served as a much-needed distraction during a roller-coaster 2020.
“While I was in quarantine, I started posting more regularly just out of sheer boredom, so it’s incredible to me that anyone has an interest in my sporadic verbal diarrhea,” she tells Teen Vogue.
It’s the “sporadic verbal diarrhea” that hits home with people. For example, one of Meg’s most-viral TikToks encourages people to stay home during the coronavirus pandemic; the hilarious (and true) clip has been viewed more than 12 million times.
Along with creating viral videos, Meg says she’s also working on original music (spoiler: her voice is incredible) and film scripts. She hopes that by becoming “courageous in [her] authenticity” on her newfound platform, young girls and femmes will be inspired when they watch her content — especially those who have often been overlooked.
“Growing up, I never saw anybody who looked or sounded like me on any major platform. I took that to mean I would always be an outsider to the world of media,” she says. “But through this journey, I’ve learned that people are interested in my most authentic self. There is an ever-growing space in media for creators, and the best way to fill it is for everyone to take part.”
Peyton Klein, 19, the Bridge-Builder
By Brittney McNamara
Growing up, Peyton Klein’s family stressed social responsibility, valuing diversity, inclusion, and acceptance. So, when Hillary Clinton lost the 2016 presidential election, Peyton, a campaign volunteer, was forced to take a hard look at herself and those around her.
“I was devastated, but I looked around and was like, ‘I believe in these values of diversity and inclusion and welcoming — was I actually applying them to my everyday life?’” she tells Teen Vogue. “I realized I knew everyone’s name in my class except the girl behind me, who wears a hijab.”
That realization, and her eventual friendship with the girl, Khwala, prompted Peyton to start the Global Minds Initiative, a youth-led organization that fosters cultural tolerance through tutoring. The goal is to create more inclusive and welcoming schools.
Since starting the organization as a high-school freshman, life has been a whirlwind. “The world and systems we exist in aren’t made for young people to be advocates,” she says. “Global Minds is a full-time job, [but] so is going to school. We elevate youth activists without talking about the challenges that exist when doing this work.”
While her work continues, Peyton says she’s focusing more on looking inward: “I’m excited about having some time to reflect and learn, whether that’s focusing on my own work I have to do as a white woman, tackling my own anti-racist education, studying Arabic, Hebrew, and geopolitical identity,” she says. “[I’m figuring out] how I fit into that.”
Quannah Chasinghorse, 18, the World-Saver
By Marilyn La Jeunesse
Quannah Chasinghorse, a member of the Han Gwich'in and Oglala Lakota tribes, has seen the devastating effects of climate change firsthand — which is why she’s dedicated to stopping it.
“I grew up learning [about] my Indigenous traditions, cultures, and [being] grounded in my values. I was also raised in the movement, listening and watching my mom and aunties always working so hard protecting our peoples, lands, waters, and way of life,” Quannah tells Teen Vogue.
A member of the Gwich'in Youth Council, Quannah is active in supporting the Arctic Refuge and speaking on her peoples’ experience with climate change. She also played a pivotal role in “Get Out the Native Vote!” campaigns ahead of the 2020 election.
Despite her impressive list of accomplishments, Quannah says people continue to dismiss or discredit her because she’s a young person of color, but she doesn’t let this stop her.
“The more I learn, the more I can speak confidently and passionately with knowledge,” she says. “It’s important to ignore the negativity, and as my aunty said, ‘There are hundreds of Indigenous women and our ancestors standing behind me.’ The support has helped me a lot.”
For other young people with high hopes and big dreams, Quannah says: “Stay connected and focused. Reach out to mentors who lead some movements, and be ready to listen, learn, and put in some work. Don’t let society tell you that your voice doesn’t matter.”
Sage Dolan-Sandrino, 20, the Storyteller
By P. Claire Dodson
When Sage Dolan-Sandrino founded the entirely femme-run digital zine and creative studio TEAM Mag, she reimagined what media could look like in 2018. She was a senior in high school and keenly aware of the disparity between her lived experience and what she saw in the media. “Everyone in my schools and communities was Black and brown and looked like me, but [that was] not reflected in the media I found myself consuming,” she says. “I was troubled by that.”
In the years since founding TEAM, Sage, who is Afro-Caribbean and trans, has learned a few things: First, community is a fundamental resource (she uplifts her teammates Zahri Jackson and Ashley Marsh). Second, that she’s well-equipped for the challenge of dismantling traditional media structures and biases.
“We are capable of breaking into this industry and changing it in the ways we dream of, we are capable of creating captivating and authentic work,” Sage says. “In order to be an effective leader, I had to radically believe in our capability and our worth.”
Sage, who was an ambassador to the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African-Americans during the Obama administration, says that belief is evident in their forthcoming work.
“For too long the stories of our teammates have been not only told without them, but intentionally altered in order to preserve pervasive anti-Black, brown, and queer narratives,” she says. And the work doesn’t stop because of a new incoming president: “The fight for liberation of our Black and brown queer siblings is still ongoing.”
Sarvani Kunapareddy, 17, the Immigration Advocate
By Michelle Li
Growing up in the United States, Sarvani Kunapareddy’s parents told her she could be anything she wanted to be; however, the summer before her freshman year, she learned that a green card backlog could result in her eventual deportation.
“Everything seemed to boil down to one thing: my visa status,” Sarvani tells Teen Vogue. “Learning about this at a younger age than most helped prepare me for the worst before it arrived. The green card backlog affects hundreds of thousands of students like me, and I realized that I had to speak up.”
The 17-year-old says she wants to create meaningful, widespread change.
“I want to focus on fighting for comprehensive immigration reform,” she explains. “Currently, there is [...] piecemeal legislation that has been pitting immigrants against one another. I hope that there can be an inclusive bill in place that helps immigrants from all communities achieve their full potential.”
With five other immigrants, Sarvani created the Hidden Dream, a platform to raise awareness, support, and create community for those in the U.S. immigration system. In addition to offering resources and tips, they built the Hidden Dream inaugural scholarship. “The system that stopped me from applying to scholarships fueled me to save at least one dreamer from the despair I felt not being able to control my future,” she says.
Teens 4 Equality: Jade Fuller, 15; Nya Collins, 16; Zee Thomas, 15; Kennedy Green, 14; Emma Rose Smith, 15; and Mikayla Smith, 16; the Organizers
By Allegra Kirkland
When it feels like the world is on fire, where do you start? As outrage over centuries of systemic racism and police brutality boiled over after the killing of George Floyd, six Tennessee teens turned to social media.
Jade Fuller, Nya Collins, Zee Thomas, Kennedy Green, Emma Rose Smith, and Mikayla Smith met on Twitter and decided to organize a march in their hometown of Nashville. They linked up with Black Lives Matter Nashville and things snowballed. The first protest they organized in June was attended by more than 10,000 people.
The group calls itself Teens 4 Equality, and its organizing efforts earned them profiles in national outlets from New York magazine to Good Morning America.
Since then, they have continued to organize against police violence and discrimination in schools. As Jade says, the election of Joe Biden “doesn’t mean every problem will be fixed in this country. Systemic racism won’t suddenly disappear. We need to continue the difficult work of activism because it is a long, tiring road.”
Every step matters, even the seemingly small ones. Other young girls who want to make a difference shouldn’t “be afraid of what others think of you,” she says.
“Be the change in your own town or city, spread helpful resources to your friends and family, talk about your own personal experiences, and listen to others,” Jade adds. “Host events like protests and open mics to start a conversation. And keep on fighting for those who don’t have a voice in this country.”
“[We want] Gen Z to have a safe space to feel loved, accepted, heard, and understood from an unbiased point of view.”
Teen Vogue’s 21 Under 21 is presented by Microsoft.
Illustrations by Hannah Rand.
