Page 9 - V1.ACTIVISM

The Rise of a Young Activist
- Selin Ozunaldim
As a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 17-year-old gender activist from Istanbul my my journey started two years ago when my my 7-year-old 7-year-old brother once told me that I I I I I I I was was was lucky because I I I I I I I just could get married and I I I I I I I didn’t have to to work after That That was was was was probably the the the the moment moment when when I I I I I I I apprehended I I I I I I I was was was was going to to to be be be I I I I I I I had to to to be be be the the the the voice of of change That That was was was was the the the the moment moment when when I I I I I I I realized the the the the risk of of this mindset created by society Such a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a stereotype that even could and would affect a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a little child’s thought structure Deeply in in in in in in my my heart I I I I I knew I I I I I had had to to to do do something but I I I I I didn’t know where to to to start nor what to to to do do Since growing up I I I I have always had had iconic role models in in in in in in my my life such as Lady Diana Coco Chanel Mahala Michelle Obama and so many more women women who made a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a difference in in in in in in in in in the the the the the the the world These women women did not not leave their their purposes because because people told them they couldn’t do it it With their their goals in in in in in in in in in mind I I remember promising myself to to to to act in in in in in in in in in the the the the the the the the the morning because because i if not not not me me me me me me me then then who? If not not now then then when? And sending sending an an email email to to to UNWomen to to to become involved in in in in in in in in in in in the the the the the the the HeForShe movement later that night I I I I I I I remember sending sending my my my best friend a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a text of “Oh imagine maybe my my my whole life would would change after after this email” in in in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a joking way only if if I I I I I I knew it it was was all all true It all all happened very fast after after after that that that In my my my wildest dreams I I I I I I could never see that that that I I I I I I would would be- come the youngest representative of HeForShe in in fin in in in Turkey but it it was was not happily ever ever after after that that that that Being an an an an activist day day by day day you you find more more things that that that must be be be be changed I I I I I I am am am living in in fin in in in in Istanbul I I I I I I go to to a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a private school and and I I I I I I am am am more more on on my my country’s lucky side Still I I I I I I believe it it it is and and and should be be be be my my my responsibility to to to to help girls who do not have have the the the the the same opportunities that that I I I I I I have have being the the the the the the the voice voice of of o young women and and giving them a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a platform to to to to find their voices That brings us us to to to to the the the the the the the start start of of o my my my journey by starting the the the the the the the first Girl Girl Girl Girl Up Up Up Club in fin in in in in in my my country Girl Girl Girl Girl Up Up Up Istanbul Girls have tremendous often untapped power to to to to to change the the the the the the the world As Girl Girl Girl Girl Up Up Up Campaign started by United Nations Foundation in in in in 2010 our mission is is to to to help girls girls access their inner strength to to to advance girls’ skills rights and opportunities everywhere in in every every corner around the globe We need all hands-on deck which means clearing hurdles for women and and and girls as they navigate their careers in in in in in in science tech- nology engineering and and and and and math said the the the the the the Former First Lady Michelle Obama Thinking about these wise words I have noticed the the the the the disproportion in in in in in in in the the the the the distribution of of male male and and and female students in in in in in in in STEM clubs and and and extracurricular activities at at at at my school With the the the the the the hope of of changing that I I I have reached out to to to to our our FIRST Robotics Robotics Competition Team Ultimate Robotics Robotics 7830 It was such a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a joy and honor to to to to to to see their tremendous support for for the the the the the the cause We all wanted to to to to to to encourage girls girls to to to to to to be involved at at at the the the the the the forefront of of the the the the the the STEM field Thinking of of how to to to to to to reach out to to to to to to young girls girls around Turkey Turkey we we have have brought the the the the the the Girls Girls Who Who Code Code movement to to to to our our country and and and became the the the the one and and and only Girls Girls Who Who Code Code team team team in in in Turkey Turkey With our our school’s support we we have have hosted workshops conferences teamed up up with different FRC teams visited public schools around the the the the the city and and and and gave classes to to to young young girls girls on on on the the the the the the the basics of of coding and and and the the the the the the the fun side of of science It is is such a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a delight to to to to see young young girls’ spark o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o their eyes when we leave and and they they say that they they want to to be the the the the the the next Margaret Hamilton My main focus at at at at at at at the the the the the moment is is an an an equal education education opportunity To achieve this goal alongside working with United Nations Girls Education Initiative to to develop better education education education programs for girls girls I I I am am also a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a member of of the the the Young Leaders Task Force of of of Girl Girl Rising to to help the the girls girls whose education education is is is disrupted during COVID-19 is is is is is is is is is is is I I I to to in in in in in in I I I cannot stress enough how much gratified I I I am of of of of being one of of of of the the the the the the the 300 people people selected by the the the the the the the United Nations all around the the the the the the the world for Gender Youth Activists Now my my my biggest supporter and motivation is is is is is is is my my my little brother who is is is is is is is mentioning my my my ac- tivism everywhere even in in in his his his classroom with a a a a a a a a a a a a a proud look on on on on his his his face correcting people whenever he he he he he he he hears a a a a a a a a a a a a a sexist word action and encourages his his friends to be the the part of the the change Dear people who want to start the the the the the change all all around the the the the the world always remember the the the the the one quote Meghan Markle said during her speech at at at the the the the the the Girl Up Global Leadership Summit “Keep challenging Keep Keep pushing make them a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a little uncomfortable be- cause in in in in that discomfort we actually create the the the conditions to re-imagine our our standards policies and and our our leadership ” Be you you do you you because it it is going to be be worth it it just trust me