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The Mask
Wearing a mask has become a sign of utmost empathy one can show to another We do not wear a mask to protect ourselves, but rather to protect others It is an implicit statement of love, not fear I wear my mask to prevent the spread of the virus that can make you sick Not because I think everyone around me has the virus and wants to infect me Not because I am afraid of the virus I wear my mask to comfort you, not to make you feel apprehensive I wear my mask as a solider in this war against a microscopic threat that spares nobody It is armor Six feet apart and a piece of fabric to cover our face...
How Social Media is Changing the Story for Women’s Voices
As recently as decades ago, those seeking to make a change in gender equality had few means of doing so quickly and conveniently. Social media has proven to be a powerful mechanism in bringing attention to women’s issues, galvanizing action worldwide and advocating to policy makers efficiently and effectively. Unlike rallies limited to those in large cities, or letters seen only by the recipient of the letter, social media can be used by and seen by almost anyone with an internet connection. By overcoming obstacles such as distance and geography, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have created a...
Reimagining a greener future without discrimination
My dream has always been to help people around the world. I create art to spread awareness about the improvements that we can create for our world if we work together. In this art piece, my message is to be kind and push towards making a world where everyone can find success and love, regardless who they are and the challenges they face. I want to remind people about the importance of a greener world with equality for all. Together, we can develop a life worth living! Love yourself, love others, and spread kindness!!
Leveraging tech for better
I was born in a world surrounded by technology. My school recess was playing basketball on the Wii, memorizing the multiplication table was reaching level 10 in online math games, and putting a song disc in my music player was searching up a song on YouTube. My name is Alisha Arora and I am an ambitious 15-year-old on the mission to leverage technology to prevent suicide. In middle school, I always felt distant from technology because in my school STEM was a “boys” thing and the baking and knitting club was for us girls. I remember watching the boys on my robotics team build a massive robot...
The Importance of BIPOC Allyship
I was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario (located on unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe Nation) to two Chinese immigrants. Throughout my childhood, I was surrounded predominantly by Chinese culture - my family and I spoke Cantonese at home, ate Chinese food at every meal, and celebrated Chinese holidays. I was very proud of my heritage - it made me unique amongst my peers and gave me something I could share with my friends. As I grew up, however, I became increasingly aware of the inequities faced by people of colour in Canada both historically and in the present. Not only did I...
The Obvious Secret
How do you become a leader? There’s a myriad of ways I can choose to answer this, but the simplest answer is to just start. From yearning to represent the elementary class, I now represent much more than that. I’m a youth provincial riding representative, I deliver needs to marginalized youth who aspire to go into STEM, magazine writer, advocate, and a young Muslim woman, which those three words yet alone the ensemble of those 3 words, is seen as anything but successful. Most of all, I’m a storyteller. I share my experiences through my own writing, just like right now. Believe me yet? Awesome...
Inventor Erfan Nouraee on using youth-led innovations to build a sustainable future for all
Erfan Nouraee is a 20-year-old inventor, scientist and speaker from Canada. His passion is to use technology and innovation to invent devices that protect and conserve our environment from threats. Nouraee won the United Nations’ International Federation of Inventors’ Associations (IFIA) Invention and Innovation Competition in 2021. Erfan’s mission is to inspire others to invent their own solutions and to promote the importance of protecting our environment through innovation. “I am Erfan Nouraee, an inventor, technologist and a speaker. When I was 16 years old, I had an idea to make reliable...
Engaging youth to tackle gender inequality - Reflections from Colombo to New York
2920 days of service
I was struggling to find my place. Since elementary school, I have loved to try new things. Despite this, I had trouble finding a niche group that I fell into. I was tired of waiting for the perfect “box” for me. I decided to create my own. I remember feeling immense anxiety when I learned that I would have to move schools in seventh grade. Looking back, the timing of this life transition couldn’t have come at a better time. I finally had the opportunity that I was dreaming of to discover my place and write my own destiny. At this newly constructed school, I was surrounded by educators and...
Leveraging Duckweed for a More Sustainable and Scalable Bioplastic
What do shoes, tea bags, T-shirts, and mobile phones have in common? It may come as a surprise that they all contain plastic, and it is not unlikely that most of the items you use in your everyday life contain plastic as well. There are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic in the ocean with an addition of 8 million pieces every day, and at this rate, we could be left with more plastic than fish in the ocean by the year 2050. I’m a 15-year-old passionate about sustainability, and I have the goal of playing a role in transforming the way we manufacture plastic. Plastic pollution is not news to us; we...