1 00:00:05,005 --> 00:00:07,375 My name is Yara Sayeh Shahidi. 2 00:00:07,466 --> 00:00:09,926 I've been an actress for over ten years, 3 00:00:10,427 --> 00:00:14,057 but more importantly a budding humanitarian and activist. 4 00:00:16,558 --> 00:00:18,638 [Ellen DeGeneres] So you're on the cover of the Hollywood Reporter, 5 00:00:18,727 --> 00:00:21,517 you're 18 years old, you're in two series, Black-ish and Grown-ish, 6 00:00:21,605 --> 00:00:24,315 directed a short movie, you were in Drake's "Nice for What" video, 7 00:00:24,399 --> 00:00:25,939 you're a Chanel ambassador, 8 00:00:26,026 --> 00:00:27,276 and you just started Harvard. 9 00:00:27,361 --> 00:00:29,071 -Yeah. -[audience cheers] 10 00:00:29,154 --> 00:00:33,584 I've always needed to be pursuing something that is full of purpose. 11 00:00:34,076 --> 00:00:37,366 I'm committed to doing social justice work. 12 00:00:37,829 --> 00:00:40,959 I believe that everyone should always be treated equally. 13 00:00:41,291 --> 00:00:43,041 -Dear Yara... -Dear Yara... 14 00:00:43,126 --> 00:00:44,126 Dear Yara... 15 00:00:44,211 --> 00:00:47,341 Dear Yara, You showed me that it's possible to make a difference 16 00:00:47,422 --> 00:00:49,302 even though I'm only eight years old. 17 00:00:49,383 --> 00:00:52,223 [Yara] When I hear from the people who support or follow me, 18 00:00:52,302 --> 00:00:53,472 it's reaffirming for me 19 00:00:53,554 --> 00:00:56,724 to continue to do the work that I do with girls' education... 20 00:00:56,807 --> 00:00:59,017 Girls worldwide don't have access to education. 21 00:00:59,101 --> 00:01:01,351 Girls worldwide are going through the same problems. 22 00:01:01,436 --> 00:01:04,016 ...and advocating for human rights. 23 00:01:04,105 --> 00:01:06,935 You gave me hope that I could find my place in America. 24 00:01:07,025 --> 00:01:09,565 The more I listen to you, the braver I become. 25 00:01:09,653 --> 00:01:13,283 It's really important to me that we invest in Gen Z 26 00:01:13,365 --> 00:01:17,285 because we understand the need for cultural progress. 27 00:01:17,703 --> 00:01:20,373 Yara, you started a revolution. 28 00:01:20,455 --> 00:01:23,955 I am going to stay on the battlefield till I die. 29 00:01:24,835 --> 00:01:29,125 There's no such thing as being too young to effect change. 30 00:01:29,923 --> 00:01:31,473 -Dear Yara... -[man 1] Dear Yara... 31 00:01:31,550 --> 00:01:33,140 - [woman 1] Dear Yara... - [man 2] Dear Yara... 32 00:01:33,218 --> 00:01:34,798 [voices continue] 33 00:01:57,659 --> 00:02:02,289 I am a 19-year-old very much still trying to figure out my life. 34 00:02:02,998 --> 00:02:06,168 I realize how lucky I am to have parents 35 00:02:06,251 --> 00:02:08,631 who made me feel as though I can move through the world 36 00:02:08,711 --> 00:02:10,091 and believe anything is possible. 37 00:02:12,716 --> 00:02:15,426 I was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 38 00:02:15,969 --> 00:02:18,309 and I'm black and Iranian. 39 00:02:18,388 --> 00:02:22,388 I kind of hit the food jackpot on both sides of my family. 40 00:02:22,476 --> 00:02:24,346 There's no such thing as a bad meal. 41 00:02:25,270 --> 00:02:29,570 And both of my parents are very socially engaged humanitarians. 42 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:33,740 Growing up, we did a lot of travel for community service 43 00:02:33,820 --> 00:02:38,910 like going to Negril at 13 with a group of doctors 44 00:02:38,992 --> 00:02:41,292 to help set up temporary clinics 45 00:02:41,370 --> 00:02:44,670 for people who usually don't get health services. 46 00:02:44,748 --> 00:02:46,708 I remember going to Costa Rica in sixth grade, 47 00:02:46,792 --> 00:02:49,002 and we brought school supplies to another school. 48 00:02:49,586 --> 00:02:52,456 I've just been raised with the idea that you're socially conscious 49 00:02:52,548 --> 00:02:54,718 and take care of your global community. 50 00:02:55,509 --> 00:02:58,799 Race has always been an active conversation in my family-- 51 00:02:58,887 --> 00:03:02,347 racism, of the existence of discrimination in society. 52 00:03:03,141 --> 00:03:06,811 But it's something that I've also personally experienced. 53 00:03:06,895 --> 00:03:09,225 I remember second grade, being at a new school, 54 00:03:09,314 --> 00:03:11,534 and this one girl coming up to me and being like, 55 00:03:11,608 --> 00:03:14,608 "Oh, I heard you're Iranian. I don't like Iranians." 56 00:03:16,405 --> 00:03:19,065 You dislike me, and you don't know me? 57 00:03:19,157 --> 00:03:20,487 How does that work? 58 00:03:21,201 --> 00:03:25,831 And then freshman year of high school, one of my friends called me whitewashed. 59 00:03:25,914 --> 00:03:28,214 And it was in reference to how I spoke 60 00:03:28,292 --> 00:03:31,252 and the fact that I'm in honors classes. 61 00:03:31,336 --> 00:03:33,456 And those are such small things 62 00:03:33,547 --> 00:03:35,917 that, if anything, what it impressed upon me was, 63 00:03:36,008 --> 00:03:38,968 if these moments are so impactful in my life, 64 00:03:39,052 --> 00:03:41,972 in, um, my self-confidence, 65 00:03:42,055 --> 00:03:46,225 in my ability to maneuver around this world and feel free, 66 00:03:46,310 --> 00:03:48,690 then what are those bigger moments like? 67 00:03:48,770 --> 00:03:52,020 What are those more overt moments of oppression like? 68 00:03:52,107 --> 00:03:54,857 And how can I be an agent of change? 69 00:03:56,403 --> 00:03:59,533 - Allow me to tell you the specials. - [man] Oh, please do. 70 00:03:59,615 --> 00:04:01,325 -Pancakes. -Oh! 71 00:04:01,408 --> 00:04:03,948 We have... kind of burnt pancakes 72 00:04:04,036 --> 00:04:06,746 and really burnt pancakes. 73 00:04:06,830 --> 00:04:08,920 Oh. Okay, well, how much for the regular? 74 00:04:09,541 --> 00:04:12,001 [Yara] I started acting at a young age. 75 00:04:13,170 --> 00:04:15,380 My mama is a commercial actress, 76 00:04:15,464 --> 00:04:18,684 and so I started in commercials with her, with my brothers. 77 00:04:19,551 --> 00:04:22,891 It was always something fun that we did that enhanced our life experiences 78 00:04:22,971 --> 00:04:25,271 but never got in the way of school. 79 00:04:25,682 --> 00:04:28,812 It wasn't until I was on Black-ish... 80 00:04:30,312 --> 00:04:33,522 that I realized the importance of intentionally choosing projects. 81 00:04:35,150 --> 00:04:36,400 I need you to cover for me. 82 00:04:36,485 --> 00:04:38,235 Cover for you? Why? 83 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:39,820 I'm going down to the protest. 84 00:04:39,905 --> 00:04:41,275 No, I'm not covering for that. 85 00:04:41,365 --> 00:04:43,115 -Well, I'm going, so... -Why? 86 00:04:44,076 --> 00:04:46,536 Tell me why you want to go down there so bad? 87 00:04:46,620 --> 00:04:48,830 So you can end up in the hospital, or... 88 00:04:49,248 --> 00:04:50,248 or worse, get killed? 89 00:04:50,332 --> 00:04:54,172 The show focuses on this upper-middle class black family, 90 00:04:54,253 --> 00:04:55,963 who both happens to be black 91 00:04:56,046 --> 00:04:58,296 and is unabashedly black at the same time. 92 00:04:59,049 --> 00:05:02,049 The episodes range from light topics 93 00:05:02,135 --> 00:05:05,755 to something that is deemed extremely serious and poignant. 94 00:05:05,848 --> 00:05:08,388 It is my job to deliver a world 95 00:05:08,475 --> 00:05:11,305 where the values that I raised you to believe in mattered. 96 00:05:11,395 --> 00:05:13,225 And they didn't. They didn't. 97 00:05:13,313 --> 00:05:15,483 I mean, half of our country rejected them. 98 00:05:15,941 --> 00:05:17,111 Hey, Mom, 99 00:05:17,192 --> 00:05:22,112 our values don't disappear just because our side lost one election. 100 00:05:23,031 --> 00:05:25,331 [Yara] When I think about these larger episodes 101 00:05:25,409 --> 00:05:30,329 in which we were discussing the election and police brutality and race politics, 102 00:05:30,414 --> 00:05:33,134 you can't help but to then extend that conversation. 103 00:05:33,458 --> 00:05:35,458 On set, these conversations were happening. 104 00:05:35,544 --> 00:05:37,804 At home, these conversations were happening. 105 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:39,920 And more importantly, when the episodes were coming out, 106 00:05:40,007 --> 00:05:41,797 you're seeing other people starting conversations 107 00:05:41,884 --> 00:05:44,344 with their families and whoever is tuned in to watch the show. 108 00:05:44,845 --> 00:05:47,595 And that propels a conversation. 109 00:05:48,515 --> 00:05:50,225 I remember people saying, like, 110 00:05:50,309 --> 00:05:53,229 they'd never seen their family represented like this. 111 00:05:54,354 --> 00:06:00,244 I realized how deprived people have been of content that reflects them. 112 00:06:04,489 --> 00:06:07,279 [young woman] Dear Yara, My name is Saida. 113 00:06:07,367 --> 00:06:08,987 I was born in a refugee camp 114 00:06:09,077 --> 00:06:13,497 after the civil war in Somalia forced my family to flee our home. 115 00:06:13,916 --> 00:06:18,046 My family filed for a green card to seek protection in the United States. 116 00:06:18,128 --> 00:06:21,468 When I was three years old, we were finally granted refuge in America. 117 00:06:22,716 --> 00:06:25,006 We were excited to pursue our American dream, 118 00:06:25,093 --> 00:06:28,013 but I had a hard time adjusting to life here in the States. 119 00:06:28,096 --> 00:06:30,466 Throughout elementary school, I was ostracized and bullied 120 00:06:30,557 --> 00:06:33,017 because of the way I talked, looked and dressed. 121 00:06:33,101 --> 00:06:34,691 I used books to escape, 122 00:06:34,770 --> 00:06:36,770 because reading allowed me to be anyone. 123 00:06:38,190 --> 00:06:41,320 The summer before fourth grade, I read 97 books. 124 00:06:41,735 --> 00:06:44,485 But the one thing I never saw in all of those books 125 00:06:44,571 --> 00:06:46,071 was someone who looked like me. 126 00:06:47,616 --> 00:06:49,786 And then I watched the first episode of Black-ish. 127 00:06:49,868 --> 00:06:53,368 For the first time, I saw representation of my family and me-- 128 00:06:53,455 --> 00:06:55,165 a family proud of its culture 129 00:06:55,249 --> 00:06:58,089 with a daughter whose hair and skin are just like mine. 130 00:06:58,585 --> 00:07:02,005 Your confidence helped me through the difficulties I face in America. 131 00:07:02,381 --> 00:07:03,761 Watching you on TV... 132 00:07:03,841 --> 00:07:07,471 [Yara] "...made me feel for the first time that I too could be a leader 133 00:07:07,553 --> 00:07:11,063 who'd make a meaningful impact in society and in the world." 134 00:07:11,890 --> 00:07:13,560 Aw. It's gonna make me cry. 135 00:07:14,685 --> 00:07:18,185 With this newfound self-confidence, I reclaimed my identity. 136 00:07:18,272 --> 00:07:20,112 I signed up for my first acting class 137 00:07:20,190 --> 00:07:23,030 and started writing poetry and speaking publicly. 138 00:07:24,945 --> 00:07:27,945 I vividly remember the first time I walked onto a stage 139 00:07:28,031 --> 00:07:30,081 and laid my heart out for the audience to see. 140 00:07:30,617 --> 00:07:32,077 It was the summer before eighth grade, 141 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:34,500 and I was asked to perform at an open mic night. 142 00:07:35,581 --> 00:07:39,501 Till your arrogance turns to ash, till your pride turns to smoke, 143 00:07:39,585 --> 00:07:43,505 I pull a Serena and kill your cruelness with a single backhand stroke. 144 00:07:43,589 --> 00:07:46,339 So next time you think of this, remember me 145 00:07:46,425 --> 00:07:48,045 and remember what I said... 146 00:07:48,510 --> 00:07:51,720 "I'm not defined by a piece of cloth that I wear on my head." 147 00:07:52,347 --> 00:07:53,517 Wow. 148 00:07:54,016 --> 00:07:57,226 Although I had a very intense urge to puke onto the front row, 149 00:07:57,311 --> 00:08:00,191 I managed to finish my poem without completely embarrassing myself. 150 00:08:00,898 --> 00:08:03,028 From there, I began performing at coffee shops, 151 00:08:03,108 --> 00:08:05,148 conferences and community events. 152 00:08:05,652 --> 00:08:07,742 "Because of you, I was inspired to travel to different states 153 00:08:07,821 --> 00:08:10,241 to perform my poetry at marches and rallies." 154 00:08:10,324 --> 00:08:13,744 As teenagers, our biggest fear should be what to wear tomorrow, 155 00:08:13,827 --> 00:08:16,997 not in shock, grieving some friends and consumed in total sorrow. 156 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:19,370 Each event raised my self-confidence 157 00:08:19,458 --> 00:08:22,458 and helped me embrace my identity even more. 158 00:08:22,544 --> 00:08:24,964 -[cheering] -I'm a Somali refugee. 159 00:08:25,506 --> 00:08:28,676 My country is one of those countries on the list. 160 00:08:28,759 --> 00:08:31,719 Yara, you gave me the courage to be who I am. 161 00:08:32,554 --> 00:08:35,474 I built a community and no longer feel so alone. 162 00:08:35,557 --> 00:08:39,307 You've inspired me to understand that every person needs a beacon of hope. 163 00:08:39,394 --> 00:08:42,364 And one day, I want to be the hope in someone else's life. 164 00:08:43,023 --> 00:08:44,483 Oh, my gosh. 165 00:08:45,108 --> 00:08:46,398 That is incredible. 166 00:08:49,905 --> 00:08:53,235 Our first guest is part of Generation Next. 167 00:08:53,325 --> 00:08:55,865 She may be young in years, but I promise you, 168 00:08:55,953 --> 00:08:59,043 she is wise beyond years in terms of her experience, 169 00:08:59,122 --> 00:09:01,292 her passion and her sincerity. 170 00:09:01,375 --> 00:09:02,575 Yara Shahidi. 171 00:09:02,668 --> 00:09:03,958 [cheers, applause] 172 00:09:04,586 --> 00:09:06,796 There are many things to credit Black-ish with. 173 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:09,090 Because the show was getting attention, 174 00:09:09,174 --> 00:09:11,934 I found myself in an unprecedented environment 175 00:09:12,010 --> 00:09:15,890 in which people were curious about what I had to say. 176 00:09:15,973 --> 00:09:18,683 My dharma, my purpose and my personal work 177 00:09:18,767 --> 00:09:22,397 are centered around gaining equality and parity through art. 178 00:09:22,479 --> 00:09:25,609 [Yara] That was the beginning 179 00:09:25,691 --> 00:09:29,281 of me realizing the impact of my voice for change. 180 00:09:29,820 --> 00:09:31,570 When we talk about gender pay, 181 00:09:31,655 --> 00:09:33,735 it's so much more than, like, we wanna get paid more. 182 00:09:33,824 --> 00:09:36,954 No. It should be a given that our work is as valuable. 183 00:09:37,035 --> 00:09:38,245 It's really important. 184 00:09:38,328 --> 00:09:40,998 You've been called the voice of Gen X, our future president, 185 00:09:41,081 --> 00:09:43,081 the face of young Hollywood, a role model. 186 00:09:43,166 --> 00:09:44,786 Any pressure in that? 187 00:09:44,877 --> 00:09:46,207 Fortunately, no. 188 00:09:46,295 --> 00:09:48,585 The title doesn't matter too much. 189 00:09:48,672 --> 00:09:50,722 What matters is really the actions. 190 00:09:50,799 --> 00:09:52,049 -Yes. -[audience applauds] 191 00:09:52,634 --> 00:09:57,144 I was growing up in this crazy new world of social media 192 00:09:57,222 --> 00:10:00,482 and my influence was really expanding. 193 00:10:02,186 --> 00:10:06,726 I started advocating for some of the main things that I really support fervently. 194 00:10:06,815 --> 00:10:08,645 Like the importance of making sure 195 00:10:08,734 --> 00:10:13,324 that people of color and young girls get equal opportunity in education. 196 00:10:13,405 --> 00:10:16,615 We must lead our education and make it relevant. 197 00:10:16,700 --> 00:10:20,200 We must fight for all of the stories that have been pushed into the margin. 198 00:10:20,287 --> 00:10:21,957 For not only women 199 00:10:22,039 --> 00:10:24,579 but people of color and the LGBTQ community 200 00:10:24,666 --> 00:10:28,956 and immigrants and anyone who's had to live within these intersections. 201 00:10:30,380 --> 00:10:31,970 And girls in STEM. 202 00:10:32,049 --> 00:10:34,299 We're working with DoSomething.org 203 00:10:34,384 --> 00:10:37,144 to raise funds for science resources in classrooms. 204 00:10:37,221 --> 00:10:40,811 We raised over $100,000 for specific STEM projects. 205 00:10:41,725 --> 00:10:44,055 I felt I was making a difference. 206 00:10:45,312 --> 00:10:47,652 But everything was about to change. 207 00:10:52,110 --> 00:10:53,610 [female news anchor] Tonight, voters are deciding 208 00:10:53,695 --> 00:10:55,735 whether the 45th president of the United States 209 00:10:55,822 --> 00:10:57,872 will be the first woman to hold the office. 210 00:10:57,950 --> 00:11:00,740 That is 69-year-old Democrat Hillary Clinton. 211 00:11:03,455 --> 00:11:07,375 [Yara] On election night, I was on set. 212 00:11:07,459 --> 00:11:11,089 There's one TV that actually works in our fake living room, 213 00:11:11,171 --> 00:11:13,171 so everyone was watching the election on there. 214 00:11:13,257 --> 00:11:16,637 And for me, I was really excited, 215 00:11:16,718 --> 00:11:19,598 because I assumed that we were going to have 216 00:11:19,680 --> 00:11:22,470 the first woman elected into office. 217 00:11:24,142 --> 00:11:26,982 I went to the polls with my parents, and I couldn't vote, but I-- 218 00:11:27,062 --> 00:11:29,982 I mean, I got a sticker, and I watched them vote. 219 00:11:30,607 --> 00:11:34,277 I was most definitely invested, as many people were. 220 00:11:34,361 --> 00:11:37,201 I remember staying up into the night to see what the results were. 221 00:11:37,281 --> 00:11:40,451 And I was just... dumbfounded. 222 00:11:44,371 --> 00:11:47,291 I was like, "Okay, how am I even processing this?" 223 00:11:50,210 --> 00:11:54,420 There was that extreme sense of-- [stammers] of loss that everyone felt. 224 00:11:55,215 --> 00:11:57,755 Especially because that morning was so hopeful. 225 00:11:59,761 --> 00:12:04,351 I felt there should always be a sense of humanity within this political process. 226 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:07,479 But as a woman of color, 227 00:12:07,561 --> 00:12:11,901 what I noticed was that the Trump campaign encouraged racism 228 00:12:11,982 --> 00:12:14,442 under the guise of nationalism. 229 00:12:17,446 --> 00:12:21,616 [crowd chanting] Build that wall! Build that wall! 230 00:12:21,700 --> 00:12:23,620 I had always come from this positive place. 231 00:12:23,702 --> 00:12:24,702 [typing] 232 00:12:24,786 --> 00:12:26,656 And so, when I posted the next day, 233 00:12:26,747 --> 00:12:31,627 I was pushing back, trying to get my generation to lift each other up. 234 00:12:32,211 --> 00:12:33,551 "Create your list. 235 00:12:33,629 --> 00:12:35,459 Find your local officials. 236 00:12:35,547 --> 00:12:39,337 Support your neighbors and neighborhood locally and globally. 237 00:12:39,968 --> 00:12:44,008 We are not and will not become passive members of our society. 238 00:12:44,598 --> 00:12:48,388 I refuse to watch the undoing of centuries of progress. 239 00:12:48,852 --> 00:12:50,692 We are Generation Z." 240 00:12:51,271 --> 00:12:55,731 I had been advocating for social issues, but in response to the election. 241 00:12:55,817 --> 00:12:59,447 I started understanding in what ways my voice could help politically. 242 00:12:59,530 --> 00:13:01,820 [chattering] 243 00:13:05,285 --> 00:13:08,745 - [Tracee] Hello, beloved women. - Supporters of women. 244 00:13:08,830 --> 00:13:10,670 Children of women. 245 00:13:10,749 --> 00:13:12,379 Here we are. 246 00:13:12,668 --> 00:13:14,878 We are here to be heard. 247 00:13:14,962 --> 00:13:16,512 -[crowd cheering] -[woman] Yeah! 248 00:13:16,588 --> 00:13:19,928 [Yara and Tracee] Women's rights are human rights. 249 00:13:20,008 --> 00:13:22,218 [cheering] 250 00:13:23,303 --> 00:13:25,893 [Yara] I started to protest at marches and rallies. 251 00:13:27,516 --> 00:13:31,556 Enough is enough! Enough is enough! 252 00:13:32,521 --> 00:13:34,151 Violence affects everyone. 253 00:13:34,231 --> 00:13:36,941 And to see that it's affecting fellow classmates is heartbreaking. 254 00:13:37,025 --> 00:13:39,275 -What do we want? -Gun control! 255 00:13:39,361 --> 00:13:41,151 -When do we want it? -Now! 256 00:13:41,238 --> 00:13:44,068 Young people's voices needed representation, 257 00:13:44,157 --> 00:13:46,617 publicly and on social media. 258 00:13:47,703 --> 00:13:51,673 This was the time to be as active, to be as engaged as possible. 259 00:13:51,748 --> 00:13:53,998 Because enough is enough is enough. 260 00:13:54,084 --> 00:13:57,004 And my generation has arrived to shift the tides. 261 00:14:00,632 --> 00:14:03,842 Dear Yara, My name is Havana, and I'm eight years old. 262 00:14:04,303 --> 00:14:07,263 Since I was born, I lived in five different countries 263 00:14:07,347 --> 00:14:09,767 because my parents are US diplomats. 264 00:14:09,850 --> 00:14:11,940 I tell people I learned how to ride a camel 265 00:14:12,019 --> 00:14:14,609 even before I learned how to ride a bike. 266 00:14:16,231 --> 00:14:18,781 Each country is so full of magic. 267 00:14:19,401 --> 00:14:22,991 I love making new friends with kids from all over the world 268 00:14:23,071 --> 00:14:25,571 who spoke beautiful languages, wore colorful clothes 269 00:14:25,657 --> 00:14:29,077 and had the most amazing, delicious school lunches. 270 00:14:30,537 --> 00:14:34,117 When I was in preschool, we wrote about what we want to be when we grow up. 271 00:14:34,208 --> 00:14:39,588 I said that I wanted to be an astronaut, a singer, an artist and POTUS-- 272 00:14:39,671 --> 00:14:41,551 that's "President of the United States." 273 00:14:42,382 --> 00:14:44,972 Girls, especially brown and black girls, 274 00:14:45,052 --> 00:14:48,602 are treated unfairly and I wanted to do something about it. 275 00:14:50,057 --> 00:14:51,637 [Yara] "I heard what you said." 276 00:14:51,725 --> 00:14:54,805 [together] You said that every voice must be heard. 277 00:14:55,312 --> 00:14:56,482 When I heard you say this, 278 00:14:56,563 --> 00:15:00,653 I learned that even though I am tiny, my voice is not. 279 00:15:02,194 --> 00:15:06,374 When people try to silence me because I am too young or just a girl, 280 00:15:06,448 --> 00:15:09,868 I can silence them with my big, giant actions. 281 00:15:11,203 --> 00:15:14,373 This past year, you inspired me to take action. 282 00:15:14,456 --> 00:15:18,996 There was the national school walkout to protest gun violence in schools. 283 00:15:19,086 --> 00:15:20,916 I was the only one to walk out. 284 00:15:21,463 --> 00:15:25,013 My action got media attention, and I was asked to give speeches. 285 00:15:25,092 --> 00:15:29,012 Just because I'm only seven doesn't mean that I can't help change the laws. 286 00:15:29,096 --> 00:15:32,466 There are adults who keep saying that kids don't know what we are talking about. 287 00:15:32,558 --> 00:15:35,388 But we know we are never too little to make a difference. 288 00:15:35,477 --> 00:15:38,687 [Havana] I thought about your words as I stood in front of the crowds. 289 00:15:38,772 --> 00:15:42,322 [together] You've made me feel like I was no longer alone or afraid. 290 00:15:42,860 --> 00:15:44,320 You are so confident, 291 00:15:44,403 --> 00:15:47,663 and I see how it helps other girls become more confident. 292 00:15:48,073 --> 00:15:50,163 You make me feel confident. 293 00:15:50,909 --> 00:15:53,249 We are standing strong together. 294 00:15:53,328 --> 00:15:57,708 Today we tell the truth, and we do not take no for an answer. 295 00:16:00,878 --> 00:16:02,298 When I go to bed at night, 296 00:16:02,379 --> 00:16:05,919 I dream about every girl in America and around the world 297 00:16:06,008 --> 00:16:08,468 having the chance to reach their goals and dreams, 298 00:16:08,552 --> 00:16:12,062 [together] because I think girls are going to save the world. 299 00:16:13,891 --> 00:16:15,351 That's so powerful. 300 00:16:20,647 --> 00:16:23,567 Today President Trump made good on a campaign promise. 301 00:16:23,650 --> 00:16:25,440 ...taking swift action to roll back 302 00:16:25,527 --> 00:16:28,407 much of President Obama's climate change policies. 303 00:16:29,114 --> 00:16:31,744 It was hypersurreal to realize, like, 304 00:16:31,825 --> 00:16:36,285 as arduous as the process is to get policies confirmed, 305 00:16:36,371 --> 00:16:37,791 to get policies made, 306 00:16:37,873 --> 00:16:39,883 how easy it was to wipe them away. 307 00:16:39,958 --> 00:16:44,298 President Trump signed a law today giving states the option to block funding 308 00:16:44,379 --> 00:16:48,259 to any organizations that provide abortions, including Planned Parenthood. 309 00:16:48,342 --> 00:16:51,092 From the environment to Planned Parenthood, 310 00:16:51,178 --> 00:16:54,098 all of a sudden, we're regressing. 311 00:16:54,181 --> 00:16:57,311 I've taken decisive action 312 00:16:57,392 --> 00:17:00,812 to keep radical Islamic terrorists 313 00:17:00,896 --> 00:17:04,316 the hell out of our country. 314 00:17:04,398 --> 00:17:06,818 [crowd cheering] 315 00:17:08,569 --> 00:17:13,739 For me the real, kind of, moment of pain came during the travel ban. 316 00:17:14,284 --> 00:17:16,794 Why was it important for you to speak up? Was it scary? 317 00:17:16,869 --> 00:17:19,829 Was it something that you were proud of doing and would do again? 318 00:17:19,915 --> 00:17:22,285 When the ban happened, we were actually-- 319 00:17:22,376 --> 00:17:25,046 My Joon Joon, my grandmother, was actually considering flying in 320 00:17:25,127 --> 00:17:26,917 -for the first time in 13 years. -Oh, wow. 321 00:17:27,005 --> 00:17:28,125 And so, fortunately, 322 00:17:28,214 --> 00:17:31,184 because she has her US citizenship, she was able to do so. 323 00:17:31,260 --> 00:17:33,850 But it was that scary moment of, "Oh, this affects my family." 324 00:17:33,929 --> 00:17:35,509 It was really important, I think, 325 00:17:35,597 --> 00:17:40,017 to actually head-on address complicated issues. 326 00:17:43,021 --> 00:17:47,901 So I put together this summit in Los Angeles with my fellow young people 327 00:17:47,985 --> 00:17:51,105 to figure out how we could actually create change. 328 00:17:51,196 --> 00:17:55,326 I am so grateful for this room and for us to share a space together. 329 00:17:55,409 --> 00:17:58,369 It is a moment to be in conversation with one another 330 00:17:58,453 --> 00:18:00,503 so that we can figure out what matters to us 331 00:18:00,581 --> 00:18:02,371 because it's what should matter to the US. 332 00:18:03,375 --> 00:18:07,165 We wanted to not only think about globally and nationally what do we want, 333 00:18:07,254 --> 00:18:08,844 but what is important to us locally. 334 00:18:08,922 --> 00:18:10,972 What are things that we haven't been talking about? 335 00:18:11,049 --> 00:18:15,849 After 17 people were shot and killed in my alma mater in Parkland, Florida, 336 00:18:15,929 --> 00:18:19,099 I've dedicated every single day of my life to gun violence prevention. 337 00:18:19,183 --> 00:18:22,313 I was the first out trans person in my high school in Texas. 338 00:18:22,394 --> 00:18:24,064 And you were just, like... 339 00:18:27,608 --> 00:18:33,988 As much as I felt the summit was, um, a beautiful coming together, 340 00:18:34,072 --> 00:18:36,832 it was really important that we continue to extend the work. 341 00:18:36,909 --> 00:18:40,289 There are four million people turning 18 this year in America, 342 00:18:40,370 --> 00:18:43,580 which means there are four million potential new voters. 343 00:18:43,665 --> 00:18:47,375 When you activate your vote, you're activating your rights. 344 00:18:48,795 --> 00:18:50,915 The next election was midterms. 345 00:18:51,006 --> 00:18:53,546 Many times it's not viewed as a pivotal election. 346 00:18:53,634 --> 00:18:57,054 But this year they were extremely important. 347 00:18:57,137 --> 00:19:01,517 I decided to use social media to get Gen Z out to the polls. 348 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:03,940 Are you 18? Almost 18? 349 00:19:04,019 --> 00:19:06,899 Well, we want you... to register to vote. 350 00:19:07,523 --> 00:19:11,493 I started Eighteen x 18 to accomplish voter registration, 351 00:19:11,568 --> 00:19:14,278 voter education and voter turnout. 352 00:19:15,405 --> 00:19:18,865 It was about trying to break down those barriers to entry. 353 00:19:19,576 --> 00:19:25,286 And I was really excited to see our actual impact on the election. 354 00:19:29,962 --> 00:19:33,262 [female reporter] With the clock ticking down to the crucial midterm elections, 355 00:19:33,340 --> 00:19:36,720 candidates across the country are fighting to fire up their base. 356 00:19:38,053 --> 00:19:39,643 I'm so excited right now. 357 00:19:40,681 --> 00:19:41,971 Guess what I found. 358 00:19:42,057 --> 00:19:44,017 Guess what I have. Eep! 359 00:19:44,977 --> 00:19:46,767 [female reporter 2] Young voters showed up at the polls 360 00:19:46,854 --> 00:19:49,114 at historic rates this midterm election. 361 00:19:49,189 --> 00:19:54,699 We saw an unprecedented turnout for midterms in particular, by youth. 362 00:19:55,487 --> 00:19:58,027 [male news anchor 1] The exit poll results already coming in right now. 363 00:19:58,115 --> 00:19:59,235 [cheering] 364 00:19:59,324 --> 00:20:01,664 [male news anchor 2] Democrats will win the majority 365 00:20:01,743 --> 00:20:04,203 in the US House of Representatives. 366 00:20:04,288 --> 00:20:05,658 [male news anchor 3] The Democratic freshman class, 367 00:20:05,747 --> 00:20:07,877 which is overwhelmingly diverse and female, 368 00:20:07,958 --> 00:20:12,088 includes the first Muslim and Native American women elected to the House. 369 00:20:13,213 --> 00:20:16,723 [Yara] When you look at the candidates who were elected into office, 370 00:20:17,509 --> 00:20:19,679 what they did represent were the voices of the people. 371 00:20:20,345 --> 00:20:22,755 It's really gratifying to just think 372 00:20:22,848 --> 00:20:28,268 Eighteen x 18 has led to so many incredible moments of change. 373 00:20:36,236 --> 00:20:37,606 [man] Dear Yara, 374 00:20:37,696 --> 00:20:41,486 Growing up, I had a hard time finding my place in the world. 375 00:20:42,075 --> 00:20:44,575 I was in and out of foster homes for a while 376 00:20:44,661 --> 00:20:46,371 and ended up being homeless. 377 00:20:46,997 --> 00:20:49,037 It was a dark and lonely time. 378 00:20:49,791 --> 00:20:54,671 Eventually, a family I knew reached out and offered me a place to stay. 379 00:20:56,340 --> 00:20:58,090 When I returned to high school, 380 00:20:58,175 --> 00:21:00,675 I found out that my struggles weren't unique to me. 381 00:21:01,136 --> 00:21:03,806 One in six students in my district deal with homelessness. 382 00:21:03,889 --> 00:21:05,599 "Homelessness." Oh, my goodness. 383 00:21:05,682 --> 00:21:08,352 [together] I knew I had to do something about it. 384 00:21:08,810 --> 00:21:11,360 I was in the middle of an English class when it hit me. 385 00:21:11,438 --> 00:21:13,648 I would run for a seat on the Denver school board, 386 00:21:13,732 --> 00:21:17,652 becoming the youngest person ever to run for office in my state. 387 00:21:18,070 --> 00:21:21,160 I want people to remember what school board races actually mean 388 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:23,660 and what they actually do, what the power of the school board holds. 389 00:21:23,742 --> 00:21:26,202 Many adults and policy makers told me 390 00:21:26,286 --> 00:21:28,406 I was too young and I had to wait my turn. 391 00:21:29,331 --> 00:21:31,041 Nothing about this felt easy, 392 00:21:31,124 --> 00:21:33,044 but I was determined and I went for it. 393 00:21:35,337 --> 00:21:37,417 Sadly, I lost the election. 394 00:21:38,090 --> 00:21:40,510 [sighs] Election night definitely sucked. 395 00:21:41,343 --> 00:21:44,513 Ultimately, it was a humbling experience 396 00:21:44,596 --> 00:21:47,596 that pushed me to look at other ways to lead in my community. 397 00:21:48,183 --> 00:21:52,023 Around this time, I got an e-mail about your Eighteen x 18 summit. 398 00:21:52,104 --> 00:21:55,154 [together] I submitted an application, and I got accepted. 399 00:21:55,983 --> 00:21:57,403 When I got to the summit, 400 00:21:57,484 --> 00:21:59,614 I realized pretty quickly that you brought together 401 00:21:59,695 --> 00:22:02,655 some of the most amazing people that I have ever met. 402 00:22:03,156 --> 00:22:06,076 People who wanted to change their communities for the better. 403 00:22:06,910 --> 00:22:09,830 You stressed the importance of refusing to wait for change, 404 00:22:09,913 --> 00:22:12,003 and I knew I had to be the change. 405 00:22:12,082 --> 00:22:14,422 We must love and protect one another. 406 00:22:14,501 --> 00:22:17,211 We must love and protect one another! 407 00:22:17,296 --> 00:22:20,546 We have nothing to lose but our chains! 408 00:22:20,632 --> 00:22:24,302 We have nothing to lose but our chains! 409 00:22:24,386 --> 00:22:28,676 Like you, I want to build a community of black and brown students 410 00:22:28,765 --> 00:22:30,975 who are empowered to change the system. 411 00:22:31,476 --> 00:22:35,106 We have to show them that, yes, we can. 412 00:22:35,856 --> 00:22:40,106 Yara, you've motivated me to continue to be an agent of social change. 413 00:22:40,194 --> 00:22:44,454 I'm a community organizer who fights for teachers, students and young people 414 00:22:44,531 --> 00:22:46,241 in my hometown of Denver. 415 00:22:47,201 --> 00:22:49,581 You're inspiring a wave of young people 416 00:22:49,661 --> 00:22:53,461 to understand how much power they have to make a difference. 417 00:22:54,374 --> 00:22:55,634 Oh, my goodness. 418 00:22:58,754 --> 00:23:02,174 Wherever this journey takes me, I'm very happy to go that way. 419 00:23:02,257 --> 00:23:04,297 Young people's voices matter. 420 00:23:04,676 --> 00:23:07,756 Thank you for telling beautiful black girls all over the world 421 00:23:07,846 --> 00:23:09,596 that they are spectacular 422 00:23:09,681 --> 00:23:11,681 and that they can change the world. 423 00:23:11,767 --> 00:23:14,347 Thank you, Yara, for telling me I can use my voice 424 00:23:14,436 --> 00:23:16,356 as loud and as often as I can. 425 00:23:16,438 --> 00:23:21,278 Like you, I want to make sure that young people have a seat at the table. 426 00:23:21,360 --> 00:23:24,530 If we continue to do things that we haven't done before, 427 00:23:24,613 --> 00:23:27,413 we could actually have long-lasting change. 428 00:23:28,700 --> 00:23:31,750 I can't even imagine where we are to go from here, 429 00:23:31,828 --> 00:23:34,788 because the possibilities are endless. 430 00:23:34,873 --> 00:23:37,423 Sincerely, Saida. 431 00:23:38,293 --> 00:23:40,133 Sincerely, Tay. 432 00:23:41,630 --> 00:23:44,590 Sending you a big, giant hug, Havana. 433 00:23:46,218 --> 00:23:50,348 [Yara] We are not and will not become passive members of our society. 434 00:23:51,056 --> 00:23:52,766 We are Generation Z.