In 2013, the Black Lives Matter movement sprouted in response to the murder of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. A couple years later, in 2015, Thandiwe Abdullah helped launch the next generation of Black rights activists—the Black Lives Matter Youth Vanguard. Now, Abdullah is sixteen and she’s hailed for playing a tremendous role in getting the BLM message into U.S. schools. Not only has she furthered the conversation regarding Black lives, she’s worked to offer resources to other young Black organizers who are seeking to challenge conventional ideas on racism and blackness. At such a young age, Abdullah is truly leading the charge.
