by Maya S Penn
For some people, that might have been enough. But Mary-Pat was just getting started.
In 2013, she joined Usher’s New Look, a youth leadership and mentoring organization founded by the Grammy Award–winning singer Usher Raymond, and she learned about the program’s Powered by Service grant competition, which awards $500 grants to outstanding public-service initiatives. Casting about for project ideas, Mary-Pat wondered why no one had ever created a shock ad campaign centered on gun violence. After all, shock anti-tobacco campaigns—which use graphic, gory, or even gross imagery to illustrate the dangers of smoking—had been incredibly successful at lowering teen smoking rates. That’s when she got the idea to launch Think Twice, an anti–gun violence campaign that uses graphic images and statistics to encourage teens and young people to “think twice” before picking up a gun. She later received a $50,000 grant from the national nonprofit Peace First, which enabled her to put up forty-five billboards publicizing Think Twice throughout the metro Atlanta area. She also started working with a professional advertising firm to create new Think Twice images.
In 2014, Mary-Pat was named the national youth director for NAN, a position for which she travels an average of four thousand miles a month, speaking at schools, conferences, women’s events, and crisis shelters. She also met with President Obama to discuss issues facing today’s youth (as well as to receive a Volunteer Service Award). And in 2015, she was voted president of her freshman class at Spelman College. (She ran on a platform of promoting more frank discussions about rape and sexual assault, making her campus more environmentally friendly, and creating a scholarship fund for the future freshman class of 2020.)
At just seventeen, Mary-Pat has already inspired so many people—including me!
MAYA: What inspired you to become an activist?
MARY-PAT: My mom always used to say, “Service is the rent we pay on earth,” and that’s what I believe. I don’t know if I was ever “inspired” to become an activist. I think I’ve always just enjoyed helping people.
MAYA: What has been the most amazing or exciting part of your journey?
MARY-PAT: Being accepted to Spelman College. I know this is just the beginning!
MAYA: What has been the most challenging part?
MARY-PAT: I would have to say respect. When you talk about civil rights leaders, most people think of older men. In my experience, being a young woman in a national civil rights position means you’ll often be challenged and have your leadership skills questioned.
MAYA: What would you say to other aspiring young activists who want to make a difference but don’t know what to do or where to start?
MARY-PAT: I’d say just go for it! One of the best things about being young is that you can make mistakes and start over from scratch if you need to. Never be afraid to take leaps of faith. You don’t need a college degree or a private school education to validate your worth—the best experience is everyday experience. And finally, be prepared. Learn as much as you can about the topic at hand. It’s important to know what you’re fighting for.
There are a million issues and movements and organizations out there that could use your help. In fact, there are so many that it can be a little intimidating to try to pick just one or two. If that sounds a bit like how you’re feeling, don’t be afraid to do a little research first. Sometimes it’s just the act of learning about an issue that inspires you to do more, that sparks one of those Big Ideas. Learning about an issue—in his case, environmentalism and eco-living—is what changed my friend Mario’s life.
YOUTH WHO ARE CHANGING THE WORLD: MARIO RIDGLEY JR.
Talk Radio Host, Community and Environmental Activist, Public Speaker
Age: 17
Hometown: Palm Coast, Florida
Mario Ridgley Jr. had a mission. The newly elected sixth-grade class president wanted the Imagine School at Town Center, his brand-new charter school in South Florida, to get greener. So he teamed up with Waste Pro of Florida, a professional waste-removal service, to launch his school’s first-ever recycling program. The entirely kid-run initiative, called Recycling with a Twist, offered yearly certifications in six different measures of excellence and a Go Green campaign to improve sustainability (not to mention plenty of celebratory pizza parties!). The incentives proved so effective, they have stayed in place for years, long after Mario’s graduation.
But that was only the beginning of Mario’s journey.
First, Mario was chosen at age eleven to become the first-ever Kid President of Kidstar, a children’s educational charity that operates a by-kids, for-kids network of Web-based radio stations. During his tenure, Mario learned all about the fundamentals of radio, which he then used to launch his own show. The hour-long weekly program, Mario Jr. Alive and Green (which he taped from his home-based studio, with his mom serving as engineer and producer), is all about environmentally responsible living. He’s interviewed important environmental experts (like Dr. Rob Moir, the director and founder of the nonprofit Ocean River Institute) and has talked about a wide range of topics, from greenhouse gases to water conservation, from recycling to global warming, always with an emphasis on what kids can do to improve the environment every day. Mario went on to partner with Microsoft in order to broadcast his show live from the Microsoft Store in Orlando, Florida (where kids could come to listen to and participate in the interactive broadcast, learning more about both radio and environmentalism in the process). He also began speaking at local schools, clubs, and businesses, bringing his eco-awareness message to an even wider audience, inspiring people all over the country to live greener lives. How cool is that?
MAYA: What inspired you to become an activist?
MARIO: Let me take you on a little trip down memory lane. Years ago, I was getting ready to compete in my school’s first annual science fair. At the time, my parents were in the process of establishing their green consulting company, helping local businesses become more sustainable by shrinking their carbon footprint, so I immediately chose an environmental topic for my science fair project. The official title was “Biodegradable Products vs. Plastic Products,” and the idea was to test how quickly each type of product would biodegrade in our earth’s soil. Of course, the biodegradable products broke down much, much faster than the plastic products. In fact, the plastic products weren’t even affected. After a three-month trial, it looked as though I’d buried the plastic products in soil only the day before. To my joy, I ended up placing first in the science fair. I was pretty excited, as well as overwhelmed, because now I would be headed to regionals, where I would have to describe the project to a panel of judges. But I was actually able to place first again! Now I was ecstatic and feeling quite proud of myself—I really didn’t know I would be able to take it this far. The next and final step was going to the state competition, where I placed third (and received an amazing trophy!). I was totally honored by this awesome journey, but I also felt encouraged to do more, to talk to more people about my newfound love for the environment (as well as how putting your best foot forward in school can change your life). I can say that my dad, my mom, and my school are the sole reasons that I became an environmental activist, and I thank them for that.
MAYA: What has been the most amazing or inspiring part of your journey?
MARIO: It’s actually right now. This is the most exciting and amazing part of my journey, because through you, Maya, I’ve been given a platform to share that learning is fun and that being smart is cool. I am so grateful.
MAYA: What has been the most challenging part?
MARIO: You know, it really has been a completely fun ride. But one thing I always say is: don’t only receive the hard and reject the easy; welcome both for true gratification. Knowledge is a beautiful thing.
MAYA: What would you say to other young activists who want to make a difference but who might be too afraid to get started?
MARIO: Usually, when someone is afraid of something, it’s because they don’t have enough knowledge about it.
So I would tell other aspiring activists to welcome learning. Don’t be afraid to research the questions you have about life, or to change the way you think about certain things. Personally, I’ve changed my life goal at least three different times. When I first started out, I just wanted to be a radio host. Then I thought it would be awesome to have a late-night talk show—I could be like the “go-green Conan O’Brien,” talking about the latest and greatest in sustainability. Now I want to go into finance, because I want to help provide funding for other young activists to achieve their visions and dreams. So, don’t be afraid to change.
Everyone has a certain thing that they love to do, so go out and do it! There will be trials and tribulations, but don’t give up. If you give up, you’ll never know if that hurdle you were facing was the last hurdle before seeing your dream become a reality. Believe that you were put on this earth for a reason, and that everything you worked for will come true.
I’ve been a proud member of the Ian Somerhalder Foundation for years now, after reaching out to Ian and his ISF youth coordinator, Jules Trace. The ISF is an organization Ian started after seeing the devastating effects of the BP oil spill on his own backyard (he’s originally from southern Louisiana). The first time I met him, he had a very noticeable positive energy; it was warm and uplifting. What I especially love about his foundation is that it encourages young people, specifically, to do their part to preserve and protect our planet and its creatures. As a member of the ISF Kids/Youth Division, I’ve written articles and produced videos to promote environmental awareness, focusing on everything from saving the rhinos to learning more about alternative energy sources. We’ve also got some upcoming projects in the works that I’m really excited about.
Sometimes the way to get started is to reach out to a person or a group that seems interesting, that inspires you. That’s exactly what my now-friend Veronica did when she reached out to me and my nonprofit.
YOUTH WHO ARE CHANGING THE WORLD: VERONICA LORYA
Volunteer, Activist
Age: 24
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Volunteering her time at school and charity events was just the beginning of a life of service for Veronica Lorya. She has interned at the Erie Housing Authority in Pennsylvania, helping process applications for government-subsidized public housing, and has served as a mentor for students learning English as a second language. While in college at Penn State, she become president of her school’s Multi-Cultural Council, an on-campus club that promotes awareness and understanding by working with underrepresented student groups, including the Asian Student Organization, Women Today, and the Association of Black Collegians. These days, she works with AFS Intercultural Programs, a nonprofit organization that offers international exchange programs for thousands of students in more than forty countries around the world. And yet she still finds time to keep doing more: I met Veronica because she wanted to get involved with my sanitary pad project. I’m so grateful that Maya’s Ideas 4 The Planet is just one of the organizations to which she’s pledged her time, her gifts, and her service.
MAYA: What inspired you to become an activist?
VERONICA: My mother is my biggest influence and inspiration. My family is originally from South Sudan. When war broke out again in the 1980s, my mother and father moved to Kenya to escape the conflict. I was born several years later, only a few months after my older brother passed away from leukemia at the age of fourteen. Then, in 1993, my family suffered another tragic loss when my father passed. He left my mother with the difficult task of raising six children all on her own. I was only a year and a half old.
My mother was determined to provide the life she never had for her children. We moved to the United States, and she worked hard to pay our school fees so that we might one day reap the benefits of success. Her willpower and selflessness instilled in me that I, too, could change a person’s life.
MAYA: What has been the most amazing or exciting part of your journey?
VERONICA: The most amazing part is knowing that I’m making a difference. It warms my heart to know that through my actions I am changing someone’s world for the better. That reassurance keeps me going, and excites me for the days ahead.
MAYA: What would you say to other aspiring activists who want to make a difference but don’t know what to do or where to start?
VERONICA: My advice for young activists is simple: follow your heart. Use your passion and desire, along with your unique talents, to make a difference in the world. Remember that whether your efforts are big or small, they’re still making a difference. Start out small, in your local community, by helping out at food drives, organizing a walk for a specific cause, or volunteering your time to tutor—these are all great ways to give back.
MAYA: Why is it so important for young people, specifically, to get involved?
VERONICA: Because young people are the future. Young people are filled with new ideas and creative solutions when dealing with issues that affect the world. I’m optimistic and determined that, through our collective efforts, we can and will make a difference!
It’s also true that you can start your own initiative.
I know, sometimes it feels as though your contribution will only amount to a small drop of water in a whole ocean of need. Maybe you have only forty Facebook friends and you actually talk to only three of them anyway—how in the world are you going to start a whole movement? But remember that big change starts with small things. Maybe your initiative is a Facebook page about green living, where you list ways that people can get involved with caring for the environment. Maybe you can organize a group of friends and clean up a local park. Maybe it’s selling bracelets or T-shirts and giving the proceeds to an organization you want to support. These are some things my friend Taylor did.
YOUTH WHO ARE CHANGING THE WORLD: TAYLOR MOXEY
Chef, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist
Age: 9
Hometown: Miami, Florida
For Taylor Moxey, it all started with a toy.
One Sunday afternoon, back when Taylor was just six years old, she went shopping with her parents at Target. And as with most every other trip she’d made to the store, she asked her parents for a toy. This time, however, her father said no. Then he gave her a challenge: he told her to come up with a way to earn the money to buy the toy for herself.
Taylor thought about that for a while, until she asked if she might sell cookies and brownies. Her parents agreed to give her a $40 loan for baking supplies—think cookie dough and brownie mix; they even wrote out a business agreement on a napkin—and Taylor got right to work. Then she took her baked goods to church to sell to her fellow congregants after the service. But when she totaled up the money she earned, she realized she had made far more than the cost of the toy she had wanted. Far more than the cost of that $40 loan, too. Taylor had made $175.
That could have been the end of Taylor’s story. She could have taken her earnings, bought a whole bunch of toys, and kept right on living her life. Instead, after paying her parents back, she decided to invest in her future. Taylor purchased her very own business cards, which she passed out to teachers, neighbors, and friends. She started making cupcakes from scratch, in addition to her cookies and brownies. She began filling orders from a growing roster of clients and customers. And she decided to enter the KISS Country Midtown Miami Cornbread Competition, an annual event where trained, grown-up chefs compete. Which is when everything changed, because Taylor surprised everyone: she won.
Practically overnight, Taylor’s budding bakery business exploded. She was featured in a slew of local and national magazines and newspapers, and began taking orders from corporate clients (like Citibank), television personalities (including HGTV star Bobby Berk), and even professional athletes (such as Miami Heat player Joel Anthony). But Taylor still wasn’t done, because she knew she wanted to give back.
On a trip to her grandfather’s native country, the Bahamas, for example, Taylor was surprised to discove
r that the residents didn’t have access to some of the things you’d find in a big city like Miami—including a library. Taylor decided to open her own library, and to make it eco-friendly and mobile. With help from her parents and some sponsors, she converted an old trailer into a portable learning device. She’s also donated a portion of her proceeds to help raise dyslexia awareness (a learning disability that her own father has), as well as sponsored the TECHO organization, a nonprofit that helps build homes for the poor throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
Who says a nine-year-old can’t change the world? I think Taylor is awesome.
MAYA: What inspired you to become a baker?
TAYLOR: When I was younger, I would sit and watch cooking TV shows with my mom every day. So when my dad challenged me to come up with a way to make my own money, baking seemed like a natural choice. When I took my cookies and brownies to church, I sold out in just fifteen minutes! And the rest is a piece of cake . . . literally.
MAYA: What has been the most amazing or exciting part of your journey?
TAYLOR: The most amazing thing so far has been seeing my Taylor Moxey Mobile Library become a reality. Having complete strangers bring tons of books, toys, and electronics has been amazing. When I was able to help build a home for a family in Haiti by simply selling my cupcakes, it seemed unreal.
MAYA: Why do you think it’s important to give back?
TAYLOR: I understand that lots of kids aren’t always fortunate enough to have some of the things that I have. But if I’m able to help them and show them how they can start a business, and then use some of that money to help other people, then everyone will be able to chip in!
