In honor of Black History Month, I would like to honor a group of people who don’t get anywhere near the recognition they deserve: young black women. In particular, I would like to honor five young women who I believe to be the voices of Gen Z, inspirational activists, change-makers, and phenomenal human beings.
I am lucky to say that I have heard two of these women, Amanda Gorman and Mari Copeny, speak in person- and yes, they are just as badass as you would think they would be (if not more so).
1. Amanda Gorman, 22
Amanda Gorman is a true warrior with words. She has the ability to combine her creative energy with her burning passion for activism. By the age of 16, Amanda became a youth delegate for the United Nations. If that wasn’t enough, the Los Angeles native received the honor of being named the inaugural Los Angeles Youth Poet Laureate in 2016. The next year Amanda started college at Harvard University, but her biggest accomplishment was making history by being named the first person to hold the title of National Youth Poet Laureate. Amanda is a firm believer in literacy and tries to promote it in all aspects of her life. She serves as the founder and executive director of One Pen One Page, which promotes literacy through creative writing programming. Amanda already has plans to run for president in 2036. You can bet that I will be voting for her.
2. Chloe and Halle Bailey (AKA Chloe X Halle), 21 and 19
So technically, these gals aren’t one person, but I am willing to make an exception for this duo. Chloe x Halle is an R&B group that consists of sisters Chloe Bailey and Halle Bailey. After capturing the attention of Beyonce, Chloe x Halle’s music career took off. Since Beyonce named these two ladies her protegees, they have become series regulars on ABC’s Black-ish spin-off, Grown-ish, released their debut album, The Kids Are Alright, received two Grammy nominations, and performed “America the Beautiful” at the Super Bowl. Most recently, Halle snagged the starring role in Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. These ladies are extremely talented, and if you haven’t heard their music, I highly recommend giving it a listen.
3. Mari Copeny (AKA Little Miss Flint), 12
Mari Copeny grew up in Flint, Michigan, an area now notorious for its water crisis. After sending a letter to the then-President Obama regarding the crisis, 8-year-old Mari got the attention of the White House. Obama decided to respond to Mari’s letter by visiting her in Flint, Michigan. Ever since that letter, Mari has been on a mission to fight for clean water. After the Michigan state government stopped paying for Flint residents’ bottled water, Mari launched a water bottle campaign that provided over a million water bottles to the people of Flint. Mari is continuing to advocate for Flint and other cities with their own water crises. She is also beginning to focus on how she can address the water crisis in a more environmentally friendly way. Although Mari is only 12, she has a lot of influence, and she sure knows it.
4. Marsai Martin, 15
At the age of 15, Marsai Martin has become Hollywood’s youngest executive producer. Little, Marsai’s first film as an executive producer, grossed worldwide total sales of $48.8 million. In addition to working as an executive on Little, she also starred in the film. Although Little was Mari’s first time working behind the screen, the movie was certainly not her introduction to acting. She is one of the stars of ABC’s hit sitcom, Black-ish. Mari is pushing against the norms for blacks, women, and young people. This girl has big dreams and she is shattering barriers in achieving them.
5. Yara Shahidi, 19
Can you imagine having Oprah tell you “your future’s so bright it burns [her] eyes”? What about receiving your college letter of recommendation from Michelle Obama? This is a reality for Yara Shahidi. Yara, now a sophomore at Harvard University, is an activist and actor. She began starring in Black-ish in 2014, and by 2018, she had her own spin-off, Grown-ish. In addition to Yara’s successful acting career, she created the Eighteen x 18 voting initiative, which is aimed at getting teens to register to vote. Yara can address complicated and controversial issues with ease all the while appearing relatable. Yara has now become one of Gen Z’s most prominent voices, and she has a big future ahead of her.
