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Fighting For the Underdog with Van Jones

This week, we’ll be sharing the stories of African-American community members in celebration of #BlackHistoryMonth, which runs throughout February in the US.

Van Jones (@vanjones68) was born in 1968 — the same year Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. were killed. “I’ve always been fascinated by them,” says the human rights activist and CNN commentator. From voting rights to natural disaster relief, Van has fought for underrepresented communities in the US. His #LoveArmy movement is an extension of this work. “Love Army is for Muslims and Dreamers [young undocumented immigrants who identify as American] and black protesters, but it’s also for coal miners who are losing their pensions and industrial belt workers who worry about their future,” says Van, who will host national teach-ins to, as he puts it, lift the humanity of all the underdogs.

As for his thoughts on Black History Month, Van has an idea for improvement: “I think Black History Month is very important for looking back, but maybe the last week of the month should be Black Future Week. It’s also important to think about what the future of the black community and social justice is.”

photography, Black History Month, Van Jones, Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., CNN, human rights, activism, LoveArmy, instagram,

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Advocating for the Deaf Community with Model, Actor and Activist Nyle DiMarco

To learn more about Nyle, follow @nyledimarco on Instagram.

Nyle DiMarco (@nyledimarco) is looking for allies. He’s a model and an actor, but it’s in his role as a deaf activist that he’s made the most impact. “While I educate the world about what it means to be deaf and make changes through my foundation, I need people to get a glimpse of our culture,” explains Nyle, who lives in New York City. In the videos he shares, Nyle often teaches American Sign Language (ASL). “The idea of making ASL more mainstream intrigues me,” he says. “We’re beautiful people with rich culture and language. Sure, we’re different but that makes the world a better place. Take your time and get to know your deaf relative, your deaf neighbor, your deaf co-worker and you will fall in love.”

photography, ASL, American Sign Language, Nyle DiMarco, activism, instagram,

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A Force to Be Reckoned With: Celebrating #DayoftheGirl With @fxxtimxh

Faatimah is a teen advisor for the @unfoundation’s Girl Up campaign (@girlupcampaign). Today, people like Faatimah are posting photos of girls and women who inspire them using #GIRLHERO and #DayoftheGirl. Follow the hashtags on Instagram to learn more.

“I like to think of myself as a sort of Venn diagram because there are so many aspects of me that overlap,” says 17-year-old Faatimah Soloman (@fxxtimxh). “For example, I’m a feminist, I’m American, I’m Sudanese and I live in Saudi Arabia.”

Activists like Faatimah are lifting their voices to celebrate International Day of the Girl Child, a day dedicated to bringing awareness to the issues of girls worldwide.

“Girls need resources like education in order to succeed, and it’s not just girls’ problem. It should be a top priority of global society,” Faatimah says. “Girls are a force to be reckoned with — we’re not little things. We’re a big deal. What we do, what we stand for and what we say matters, and people should pay attention. Our gender should not disadvantage us by any means.”

photography, International Day of the Girl Child, DayoftheGirl, GirlHero, Girlup, Faatimah Soloman, Women's Rights, Girl Power, fxxtimxh, UNfoundation, feminism, activism, instagram,

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Bringing Together a Generation of Young Artists and Feminists with @malalafund

For more images and stories from young activists, follow @malalafund and explore the #booksnotbullets hashtag.

In true teen idol fashion, Malala Yousafzai (@malalafund) inspires girls around the world to create fan art. And the Nobel Peace Prize winner, who turns 18 years old today, found and shared one particular drawing on her Instagram account — made in chalk, featuring the words “extremists have shown what frightens them most: a girl with a book.”

The drawing was created by 16-year-old Morgan Ciocca (@macklemorgz) from Kansas City, Kansas, and it was shared with Malala by her 16-year-old best friend, Maddi McMaster (@maddibraps).

“It’s odd to reflect on how Malala’s story has impacted my life, since it has with such immensity,” says Maddi. “To me, the quote on Morgan’s drawing means that for women across the world, knowledge and education are our greatest powers and weapons against sexism.”

Morgan’s chalk piece was made during an art day at her high school, where she was asked to illustrate something that reflected diversity and inclusion. Turning it into a tribute to Malala was a no-brainer.

“Recently, I taught my ten-year-old sister and a few of her friends the meaning of feminism and about Malala,” says Morgan. “I believe young women see someone who very much resembles them, standing up for her rights, and feel as if they can do the same.”

photography, malala yousafzai, i am malala, malala fund, feminism, booksnotbullets, women's rights, activism, equality, fan art, instagram,