Young Activists Rising Awareness
For Our Brighter Future
Everyone, not only celebrities, is able to take action on socia l media, engaging in discussions and raising awareness about climate change or se xual fluidity. This article focuses on activists at the forefront of this era; what kind of future are model Naomi Shimada and other millennial leaders env isioning?
The 2017 #MeToo movement is one of the most memorable social media campaigns to date. Since then, young activists have been using social media as a platform, taking advantage of the familiarity and speed o f social media to
actively participate in conversations regarding environmental and LGBTQ+ issues.
We must, of course, be mindful that everything we see on social media is filtered through a subjective lens. In this environment, there are
leaders guiding our future to a better direction.
Naomi Shimada, who is known for her colorful style and smile, is one such example. As she travels between New York and London, she uses her own beautiful figure to help spread the importance of loving yourself without comparing yourself to others. When she was a model in her teenage years, she only thought about losing weight, at the cost of ignoring her own happiness. Now, she listens to her heart and body and enjoys meals and exercises, insisting on the importance of being true to yourself. Not only has she broken the traditional definition of beauty in the fashion world, the maxim that thin equals beautiful, but she has also addressed the dark side of social media outlets like Instagram. In the essay,“ Mixed Feelings,” which she published with journalist Sarah Raphael, she speaks about the importance of finding a healthy distance with social media.
Elizabeth Farrell is another young leader who cannot be missed. As a Gen-Z activist, Elizabeth has been garnering attention on Instagram since she was 17 years old. Inspired by a documentary film she watched in high school about melting glaciers, Elizabeth began selling handmade clothing, calling attention to the climate change crisis. On the next page, let’s dig deeper to see what our youth are doing for a brighter future.