Juliette West, a freshman in CAS, is an avid animal activist and has been since age nine. After contributing to a campaign to rescue an elephant from a zoo, she was approached by a director and asked to travel to Thailand and film a documentary about an elephant sanctuary. At age fourteen, Juliette discovered her passion. After the film How I Became An Elephant, was released, she was inspired to take action and started an organization called JulietteSpeaks. Not only does her organization promote animal rights, but it also encourages youth leadership. After creating a highly successful organization at a young age, Juliette wanted to help other young activists take the first step to creating their own projects and standing up for what they believe in.
Her advice for aspiring activists is, “Take the initiative to go to a meeting or a protest. If you start small and just take the first step, you’d be surprised how many opportunities it can open for you.”
Juliette certainty takes her own advice! Her most recent project involved starting up a club against the ivory trade at an All Girl’s school in Tanzania. The high school girls have spoken to neighboring villages, park rangers, and their local government about the dangers of elephant extinction. With Juliette’s help, the girls have gained valuable lessons on leadership and were given the platform to stand up for something close to their hearts. Juliette wants young people everywhere to have the motivation and opportunity to start their own organizations, so she also goes to schools and speaks about what it’s like to be involved in projects with professional adults as a young person.
“I’ve found that I’ve gotten farther due to my age, and I think people should use it to their advantage,” she said. “Show your passion, and people will listen to you, because adults are always intrigued when they see a young person who truly believes in a cause.”
Although her true passion is promoting animal rights, Juliette also has time for other activities on campus! You can find her running at Fitrec, hanging out in Starbucks at the GSU, with her friends and Delta Gamma sisters, or studying on the third floor of Mugar. She’s definitely a celeb around campus, and there’s no doubt she’ll become a full-fledged star after she wins the Nobel Peace Prize in the near future!